


Si Vis Amari, Ama

by GingerConroy



Category: Tommy Conlon - Fandom, Warrior (2011)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 22:31:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 52,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9260804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerConroy/pseuds/GingerConroy
Summary: Tommy Conlon did his time in military prison. He has been out for four months and has made a new start and yet he lets no one get near him. Family, friends, acquaintances...he wants them to leave him the fuck alone because being alone suits him fine. He trains athletes for the ring, goes home, runs, then sleeps...a little.Gisella Allen lives in an apartment below the Warrior. She knows good and well who Tommy Conlon is, hears him pacing once every so often until she hears him take down the front stairs and out the main door. He runs at night and seems to never sleep.  As she drifts off she sees him come back. Her brother tells her he's damaged goods in more ways than one. Yet something about him pulls her in.***I do not own Tommy Conlon or any of the other ideas or concepts in the movie Warrior. It's a fan fic used to whet the appetite of us fans who really love us some Tommy, and nothing more.





	1. Chapter 1

"Yeah, well you're the last person I need to be drinking with, Sarah," Gisella laughed as she teased her good friend over the phone, "The last time we went out I had to call a ride service for you and then the guy looked like a murderer!"

"Hey, I can't help it. A girl's gotta have her cranberry and vodka after a bad week at the hospital," Sarah responded, "Plus, he wasn't a murderer. He was actually quite good in bed."

"God! I don't want to hear it! He looked dangerous!"

"He was a guy I went to high school with!"

"What am I going to do with you, Sarah?"

Gisella and Sarah had been friends since the ninth grade. One of them was getting sex on the regular from almost every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the The 'Burgh, while the other, Gisella, had not had a serious or even casual relationship in almost a year. Teasing each other had been a nightly ritual, with Gisella mainly chastising her friend for the situations she'd get into.

"Nothing," Sarah answered her after drifting off almost for a moment, "You'll do nothing but go out with me this Friday! Like a best friend should!"

"Ha! Okay!" Gisella answered, hearing Sarah lightly snicker. She could tell her friend was tired after her shift at the hospital. It was almost 2 am and they both needed to be in bed. Gisella was about to say goodnight when she heard the thumping upstairs.

"So I will see you Fri..." Sarah started to say.

"Shh...just a second..." Gisella told her.

"...Is it him? Conlon?"

"...Yeah...wait a sec, will you?" Gisella hushed her. This was becoming a thrice a week ritual.

Gisella looked up to the ceiling as habit. The heavy walking of a person who was solidly built and had the street-tough gait of a man of his bearing could be heard on the floor above her. He moved from his bedroom, which she believed was above hers to the hall, that again, was above her own, and through the living room. She heard the door open with a creak, it then slam, which irritated her to no end, and his heavy steps going down the stairs. She could tell that although he was a big guy, he moved like an athlete. He seemed to glide down the stairs while still creating that ruckus. A few steps more and he was down the next set of stairs and out the front door to the old 19th century home that the landlords had rebuilt into apartments. That door slammed and she turned off her lamp and went to the window.

As she looked down she saw him bounce down the front steps and hit the sidewalk running. He had on his black hoodie under a gray sweatshirt that had the sleeves cut off, gray track pants, and older sneakers. His hoodie was pulled over his head and he looked like a thug. Despite what she had heard from the landlady about his brother giving him money, a neighbor told her she heard he had refused it and allegedly wore the same clothes he had in his suitcase when he had been taken away to prison five years prior. Allegedly there was a woman and some kids he told his brother to send the money to. The neighbor thought it was an ex lover in Arizona or New Mexico that he had owed child support to. Others said it was a dead friend's widow. Everyone seemed to have a story about Tommy Conlon, second placer at Sparta.

Gisella watched Tommy until he disappeared towards the horizon of steel bridges and the harder part of town.

She sighed and made her way back to the bed where she had been sitting.

"I can't believe you've never spoken to him," Sarah said finally, sensing Gisella was done looking.

"Yeah," she said, "I've seen him in coming and going and he doesn't really say anything. He just looks at me for a sec, nods his head half the time, and hurries out the front door."

"I gotta be honest with you, Gisella...I'd love to have that pin me down and go to town on me."

Gisella and Sarah both laughed. Sure, Sarah was always hungry for sex and making cracks, but Gisella had to admit the man made her nervous when she'd see him. She wasn't blind to how incredibly attractive Tommy Conlon was. He was muscular, brooding, and had the sexiest face she had seen on a man in person in a long time. Guys like him weren't the norm in their part of town. She remembers the time she saw him run in 30 degree weather with no shirt on, his back and traps thick with muscle. The tattoos that ran down his body made him all the more exciting and placed him in the bad boy category Gisella never messed with but Sarah prized. Maybe it was time for Gisella to experience that.

Then again, he never talked to her and she wasn't about to go knocking on a hardened man's door asking for butter or sugar.

"He's too rough for me, but then again, I'd like to see just once..." Gisella started to say.

"If you don't do him, I will," her friend interrupted.

Gisella sighed, "Goodnight, Sarah."

Sarah laughed, "Goodnight, babe. Get some sleep...after that cold shower."

"Ha ha. Okay...bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

4 am

Gisella had awakened and heard a door slam and someone walk across the floor up above. Conlon was back from his run and probably going to walk back and forth for half an hour. She could have sworn at times he was on the phone talking to someone but the conversations were always very brief. One time, when she had her windows open to let in the late summer breeze she heard him go out on his small side patio and talk to someone and he didn't sound happy. Tonight would prove to be the same except her windows were closed. She could hear him start to converse with someone.

Her interest had slowly piqued over the last couple of months and so she stole out of bed to creep over to the window that was below his patio.

"No. I'm not going to train that fucking kid if he pulls that shit with me. He may pull it with you, but he's messin' with the wrong fuckin' one if he does that shit here," Tommy said in a low but angry tone to the person on the other line.

Gisella was still as she continued to eavesdrop. She could tell he had to be telling someone what his stipulations were to take on a burgeoning fighter.

"Yeah, tell Colt that I know good and fuckin' well that this kid needs me. And Colt knows good and goddamned well I won't take him without a hundred percent fuckin' focus...yeah...yeah...okay...well what did he say?...yeah? And about Rivas? And that motherfucker Trent?"

Tommy went on for a little bit longer and seemed to have gotten what he wanted. Whoever it was on the other line was told they'll meet up next Tuesday with the fighter and discuss training. Tommy discussed money, which Gisella felt bad for overhearing and then they agreed to meet even before that to go over a regimen. Tommy then got up from where he had been standing and he went into the bedroom above her. She went to follow and as she did she knocked over a printer on the desk near her bed. Everything came crashing down, including an alarm clock that started to play a loud pop song. Gisella quickly went to try and turn it off and grab more stuff but needed to turn on a light to see everything. She ran to her desk lamp, turned it on and then attended to the crashed objects.

 

Upstairs Tommy was following up his call when he heard a muffled commotion directly under him. He knew it was that girl below him and he went back out on the patio to see a light from her bedroom window throw it's glow across the bushes outside. What the heck was she doing at this hour? He had wondered about her a few times when he'd be up late. He was probably keeping her up but she looked like she was in some kind of job that had odd hours. Maybe she slept late because he'd see her at home during the middle of the day on a work day. He figured she probably heard everything he said on the phone and needed to keep his business as his business. She was probably part of the damn gossip mill that swirled around him in that place. He didn't give two shits that they talked about him except when the landlady was commenting on the hours he himself kept. "You sure are out at all hours, Mr. Conlon...you sure you're okay?" He told her he was fine, gruffly, and wanted to tell the woman to mind her own fucking business, but he didn't. It wasn't worth the battle.

The girl below him looked to be about twenty four, twenty five. He was approaching his mid thirties and remembered when he was about her age, still in the Corps with Manny, beginning to think life wasn't so bad after all.

He quickly shrugged off thoughts of Manny. All it did was depress him and make him want to pull a bottle. The time in prison didn't make the pain subside and his amends with his father and brother didn't kill it, either. 

What did gnaw at him was the need to feel a woman again. He had seen a few girls in the past few months, but they were always wanting more. More shit than he could give. The sex had been phenomenal when he had first got out, as he had not had a woman ride him in years. He ran through several girls from the gym next to Colt's and although it eased the ache for a moment, he never quite broke through past the surface of what was bothering him.

Now, the girl downstairs, she was beautiful and his type. When he had first moved in he had seen her and her friend load up a Jeep and he stood there looking out the curtains, undetected, watching the breeze run through her dark brown hair. She had a beautiful smile and happy eyes. Course, it didn't hurt that she was wearing a small bikini top with strings tied behind her neck and shorts. He admired her legs, arms, and tummy and felt himself harden. Little did she know he jacked off in the shower to her later, his imagination running wild to what it would feel like to fuck her with her bikini top askew, breasts bouncing under him, and her cries of pleasure...

He snapped out of it. Didn't matter. Didn't know the girl and wasn't going to waste time with any of that. He had to train Hector Rivas, the kid from the wrong side of town like he was, for Sparta VII. Nothing cooled desire like the thought of having to get up at 4 am and start this twenty two year old kid on a regime. 

And sleep was something he didn't get, anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

Gisella logged onto her laptop and started calling clients. She worked in insurance and handled property damage claims for a homeowners insurance company. It was not exciting, paid mediocre, and yet she liked it because she could work from home while she did her side job, which was making cupcakes for people who contacted her on her party catering blog, Sweets for the Sweet. It was a name she wanted to change but had been doing it so long her clients knew her business by that name. It was hard to pull in clients if you kept name-changing and she wanted this business to take off. It irritated her when her mom said, "Gi, everyone makes cupcakes anymore, don't they? Why don't you make...cookies, or pies?" She knew the market around Pittsburgh; cupcakes were still easy and very marketable for children's parties, bridal showers, baby showers, and even some weddings. She wasn't changing a thing.

She then wondered if Tommy would like a cupcake or he'd just scoff at it. Maybe that would be a way to meet him. She got on her cell and texted Sarah.

GISELLA: ARE YOU IN THE OR TODAY?

SARAH: NO, THEY GOT ME IN PEDS. LOTS OF SICK KIDS WITH THIS COLD WEATHER

GISELLA: AND TO THINK WE WERE IN BATHING SUITS JUST THE OTHER DAY

SARAH: I KNOW. GOBLIN WARNING

GISELLA: WHAT?

SARAH: GLOBAL. GLOBAL. DAMN AUTOCORRECT.

GISELLA: I KNEW WHAT U MEANT. HEY, SHOULD I MAKE HIM SOME CUPCAKES??

SARAH: WHO?? BEEFCAKE BOY UPSTAIRS?

GISELLA: YES!

Gisella's phone started to ring seconds later. 

"Gisella, no man who looks that rough and that built is going to want a frosted buttercream. Remember how your brother and my cousin tried to beef up like him after getting obsessed with Sparta?"

"Yeah, but the thought may mean enough to him. He'd be grateful for the thought...right? I mean, maybe he can have half of one."

"So, you're thinking of jumping his bones, then?"

"No...yes...something like that. He is pretty hot but I don't want to just be some horny thing looking for love. I mean, it's been a while, but still."

"Gisella. Get your kicks. Remember Rizzo in 'Grease'? WWRD?"

"I get it. I just want to not come off as desperate. I mean it may look weird...nevermind."

"No! Stop. Go, get some of your best stuff in the oven, set aside for him two cupcakes...leave the rest for me..."

Gisella laughed.

"...and put on a normal, everyday but cute outfit that doesn't scream 'I changed my clothes for you'...you don't want to look obvious or anything...and go up there and introduce yourself. Tell him you've shared cupcakes with all the neighbors before...which you have...and get to know him, girl!"

Gisella thought about it and figured what's there to lose. He'll either be thankful or not. She can't overthink this. Waiting for a gorgeous man to talk to her, especially one who seemed determined to work out at all hours of the day, was a fool's errand.

"I'll do just that, thanks Sarah!"

"Okay, good for you," she said in her reassuring tone, "Just don't be surprised if I am jealous months later because he's running around your apartment shirtless."

***

Tommy ran up the apartment house steps from his second jog of the day. The last time was early that morning before he found out he'd need to be up in a few days at 4 am to train Hector. He was sweaty and miffed because a person who drove past him accidentally hit a puddle, spraying him. He had shot a bird at the car, which ended up stopping, the man who got out apologized profusely when he saw it was Tommy Conlon, MMA star. He offered to drive Tommy back home but he refused and said it was alright, as he was out for his run. The old man talked at length with him about the tournament and Tommy's brain was about to check out. These locals and their love of him. It drove him nuts. Go love a nurse or teacher. Someone like Pilar, Manny's widow. She was a single mom trying to make ends meet, even still, despite having money from Brendan. She had put almost all of that money into college funds and savings for her kids. Adding to her money issues, the economy was in the shitter and being a seamstress didn't pay. 

Mrs. Locato, the landlady came out of her downstairs apartment just as Tommy was tearing his sweatshirts off so he could cool down. He registered a look of both shock at his frame and a hint of possible desire, which made his stomach turn a little. She was no beauty queen and reminded him of some lady who came around looking for his dad, Paddy, to take to VA meetings. 

"Mr. Conlon," she called after him, bowl of something she was eating in her hands, "You still keeping crazy hours? Do you ever sleep?"

He knew her thinly-veiled attempt at shielding her contempt for his lifestyle very well. She'd try to sound nice but was really trying to criticize him. He knew she didn't like MMA because of what she said when he first moved in, "Fighting for profit is terrible, but I am not here to judge," she said as she took his first rent check and deposit. Yeah, well being a rude shrew and overcharging the black family who had the apartment across the hall from him was terrible, too, but who was he to judge.

"Mrs. Locato, sorry to keep you up," he lied, "I'll try to be quieter."

She stared at his torso and took her silk robe and pulled the collar over her cleavage to cover up. Now he just knew this broad could not be feeling intimidated by him. He turned and kept walking, "Sorry to work out so much," under his breath.

"Come again?" she said as he was going up the stairs.

"Nuthin', you have a good day, Mrs. Locato."


	4. Chapter 4

Tommy took a long hot shower and relished the water running down his tired back. He looked like a bull from behind; thick muscle ran down his back and made his torso look like a V from behind. His traps rose from his shoulders to his thick neck, and his biceps were almost as big as they had been when Paddy was training him for Sparta. He placed his left fist on the tile and put his head to it and looked down. Turned on again. His eyes closed and his right hand gripped his cock. He wanted to think of someone other than the downstairs neighbor for once. Maybe a woman he fucked when he got back into town. He started to stroke and think of the Puerto Rican girl, Yesenia, he met at the gym and how hard her nipples got when screamed in climax. Goddamn she was a good fuck, too. Loved to ride him into the next morning but she was irritating outside of the sack. He pushed back that stuff and went back to thinking of her straddling him.

His upper lip curled in as he kept his ministrations up. Gonna cum hard, Tommy, gonna cream all this tile in here...gonna...

He heard knocking at his door. FUCK. If that was Mrs. Locato he was going to cuss her out finally. 

Shit, just focus...keep thinking of Yesenia's tits in your face. Just keep...thoughts of the neighbor girl started to re-enter his brain. Fuck it...the neighbor girl it is again. He jerked and came so hard his stream knocked off a sponge that was sitting on the bottom faucet.

"God, fuck...fuck..." he breathed, his orgasm feeling so good and his body shuddering. He noticed whoever had been knocking was still doing so intermittently. Don't they know when to stop?!

 

Gisella had made the cupcakes and had put on a simple t-shirt and shorts. Her hair was down and she had very minimal makeup on, so as not to look like she was trying to hard. She had been finishing up her baking when she heard Tommy go up the stairs. She figured she'd give him time to get situated in his apartment and then she'd go up there. She didn't want to seem like she was watching for his return and then go running up there. She gave him twenty minutes.

She thought she heard something when she knocked, like someone was going to answer the door but then she must have been mistaken. She waited a half minute before knocking some more because he may have been indisposed. Then she heard a murmur that sounded like him. She hoped he had not laid down for a nap and she woke him. She knocked again and then was wondering if he was looking at her through the peephole and decided to not answer. Figures. He was probably wondering why the hell she was up there bothering him.

As she was about to go, his door opened and there he was, wet hair, squinty eyes, puffy lips, but wearing a gray t-shirt and black shorts. He had been in the shower. She nervously put a lock of hair behind her ear as she had the cupcakes in a little plastic container in her other hand.

"Uh," he said, "Can I help you?"

Gisella felt nervous as she knew he was probably upset that she was disturbing him, "Yes...hi, I'm Gisella, your downstairs neighbor. I made...this..." she held out the container to give to him.

He studied her face for a moment and then looked down at the opaque container. Some cookies? He took them and said, "Tommy. Thank you...sorry I was in the shower when you were first knocking."

He had gray eyes. She was able to finally see him up close and registered the color. To say she felt giddy like a thirteen year old was an understatement. Inside her stomach was full of butterflies and a warm embarrassed feeling awashed over her that she hadn't felt in years. 

Tommy Conlon was incredibly handsome and standing right there, steam coming off his body, through his clothes and reaching her there in the doorway. She didn't know how she was still standing.

"Um, come on in, Gisella," he said, holding the door open with a thick muscular arm. His hand looked incredibly strong and like it could smash a beer can into a tiny perfect cube.

Gisella smiled and stepped into the tiny foyer area and followed him as he walked into the kitchen. His walk was one of a stalking wolf and the water from the shower was forming a line down the middle of his shirt. His calves looked like he could kick someone and instantly kill them and his feet, although she was no foot person, were even strong-looking as well. A bullet train could probably come at him and the train would be hurting the next day.

"Would you like somethin' to drink, Gisella?" he asked, going to the refrigerator.

"Oh, um, yes...just water," she answered, smiling.

She caught a very faint smile but it was fleeting. She hoped again she wasn't keeping him from something.

Tommy couldn't believe he was just stroking one out to a woman who was now in his apartment. She'd likely turn and run if she knew about that and he smiled to himself as his back was turned to her, reaching for a glass in the cabinet. 

She was adorable. He could tell he made her nervous. He made everybody nervous. It mattered very little to him, though. He just wanted to train and focus on training. Anything else was just filler. If he got to know this girl, the same would happen. Tommy had a way of pushing everyone away. The last time he really wanted to sit and talk to someone was when he was a kid and it was his mom. Since her death, Manny's death, dealing with his father, dealing with Afghanistan, the tournament, and then prison, he had nothing else to really give a person. Better to keep it that way.

She went to sit down on his couch and he was about to stop her and say he had to be somewhere when she spoke, "Those are cupcakes I make and sell. If you don't want them it's okay. I know you try to stay in shape." She immediately felt ridiculous for knowing that but then rationalized everyone who laid eyes on him knew he was round-the-clock working out.

"Oh, it's cool. I can eat one...maybe save the other one for later," he said and sat down so as not to look rude.

Gisella looked around and saw a broken lamp on the table. She wondered what happened there.

"I have super glue in my apartment if you need some for that lamp," she said. Stupid conversation starts now, Gi, she thought.

"Oh yeah? I think I got some, too," he said, taking off the plastic container top and looking at the cupcakes. One was pink and the other yellow. "Is that strawberry?" he asked, with a thick Pittsburghese. 

"Yes," her eyes lit up, proud of her work, "One of my favorites."

He looked down and picked up the cake and took a bite, "Mine, too," he said through a mouth thick with cupcake.

Gisella wanted to laugh but was afraid to. He was so intimidating.

He made an "Mm" sound as he kept going and finished the rest of the cupcake, "That's freakin' good," he said. He didn't want to cuss in front of her, knew nothing about her.

Gisella smiled more and said, "Glad you like it." She looked around more and noticed a picture on the wall of him and another man in military garb. Tommy had a wide smile on his face in the picture and it was neat to see that expression for once. He had a very cute smile.

After sitting there with almost no conversation for a minute longer, Gisella got up and said she needed to go. Tommy stood up from where he had been sitting and was all too quick to want to show her out, he reasoned. He had shit to do and although he found her very attractive he had to get to Colt's.

Gisella noticed despite initially offering her a drink he seemed mildly rushy and she made her way quickly to the door.

"Thanks for the cupcake, Gisella. Um...it was nice to meet you," he said and held out his hand.

She looked down and took it, shaking the strong grasp with her own in return. 

"Oh, sorry...my handshake is too firm," he said and let go.

"It's okay, Tommy," she answered and turned around to leave. He stood there in the doorway and watched her go down the stairs, her looking back at him and smiling. He made a small effort at a smile back and then closed the door. His heart had been racing so much that she may have detected it through his shirt. It was either that or his cock, which needed to be attended to after noticing the bra she was wearing was a thin match for the A/C he had cranked up.


	5. Chapter 5

9 pm, Orsay

Gisella and Sarah met with friends at a higher-end bar in downtown Pittsburgh. Sarah and the other girls wanted to guy hunt and Gisella was along for the ride and to see if maybe there were some nice enough guys to meet. She immediately thought to herself likely not, as the men they hooked up with were only interested in one night stands.

"Gi gave Tommy Conlon her muffin," Sarah teased as they sat in a circular booth near the bar.

The girls eyes went wide, "What?!" Stephanie, one of girls said, "I had heard from Sarah that he lived above you. So you're having fun with Conlon, eh?"

Gisella quickly clarified, "I brought over cupcakes in an attempt to break the ice...that's what happened." She eyed Sarah, who smirked.

"Tommy was fresh out of the shower, wasn't he, Gisella?" Sarah pushed.

Gisella nodded, "Yes, and he looked amazing."

"Did he have his shirt off? Have you guys seen him fight? My ex was obsessed with trying to look like him," Stephanie said.

"No, he was dressed, but it was like he quickly threw on some clothes," Gisella elaborated. She looked down at her drink, which had a strawberry on the edge. "He liked my strawberry cupcake," she grinned.

"I bet he did," Sarah and Stephanie said in unison and laughed, clutching hands. Their other friend, Courtnie asked her, "So...what's he like? Is he nice?"

"Yeah, I mean, he's nice enough. He welcomed me inside, gave me a glass of water...seemed kind of in a rush to get me out of the apartment, though," Gisella told her. It bothered her more and more during that day as she thought about it. She probably shouldn't have gone up there.

"Have you guys heard the story about Tommy Conlon?" a guy sitting near them turned and moved closer. He had been eyeing Courtnie earlier and welcomed himself into their conversation. The girls all looked at him and allowed him to continue.

"So the dude lost his mom at like...fifteen or sixteen or some high school age like that...she died on him and he was all alone living up in Washington state. Well, his old man, the dude you'd see training him for Sparta in those recap specials...had been a real bad drunk, abusive type who had made them clear out years prior...well he found Tommy years later but the guy was already in the Marine Corps. A real tough fucker, Tommy was. Tore a door off a tank to save some guys."

"Yeah, we heard about the tank," Sarah said. She had to admit she hadn't heard about the mom. 

The guy continued, "So, anyways Conlon fucking deserts his unit...or was in the midst of it...anyways he somehow makes it back from the fucking Middle East back to North America, and is in a jail in Mexico, to which he gets out of there after fighting in cage matches...and finally lands on his dad's doorstep sayin', 'Yo, dad, train me for Sparta'."

Sarah had been starting to look at Stephanie as the guy's story went on and they both rolled their eyes, "He said it just like that?" Sarah said.

The guys smirked, "Look, I was trying to give you some background on the dude your friend is trying to hook up with here..."

"...Yeah well, cool but you totally butted in," Sarah said.

They went back and forth and Gisella got up to make her way to the ladies room. She didn't feel like listening to Sarah and Stephanie and this guy argue. She needed to pee and wanted to just get away from it. It made a little more sense if what this guy had been saying was correct. She had heard a little from her brother about how he was a mental case after all the things that had happened to him. She had told her brother he lived above her when Tommy first moved in. Her brother, Vinny, had been impressed with this info but told her how he was damaged goods and to steer clear of him since he was known to have been loving and leaving the ladies. It was ironic because Vinny looked at Tommy as a god after Sparta. She had remembered him and his friends discussing the hard as nails "mutha" who knocked out Mad Dog Grimes at a gym on the other side of town. That video was online somewhere but she never looked it up.

She took her phone out of her purse and went to YouTube and found it. It was dated six years ago had over a million hits.

She saw the very same man who ate her cupcake nearly knock the life out of a known professional fighter. Tommy then simply walked over to another guy with a hat, said something with his hackles up, and then left the guy looking at him dumbfounded as he got down through the ropes.

Gisella was no psychiatrist but how Tommy quickly dispensed with Mad Dog was scary and reflected a man who was full of a carefully contained rage. That took years of practice. She knew that firsthand from watching how her ex-boyfriend would react when a man casually talked to her. 

It was probably nothing she needed.


	6. Chapter 6

Saturday morning, 2 am

Gisella had been laying in her bed reading on her tablet when she heard someone run under her window and to the backyard of the house. Luckily she didn't have a lamp to turn off as she made her way over to the window to look at Tommy. She had only seen him use the old swingset before as a place to train but now here he was using it again. It was 50 degrees out and yet he tore off his double-layered sweatshirts and flung them on the ground. He was wearing a black beanie cap pulled down low, gray sweatpants, sneakers and black fingerless gloves. Effortlessly he jumped and grabbed ahold of the top of the swingset and started to do pull ups.

It was a full moon so she could make out enough to see him well enough. His face was one of utter determination and he'd breathe with each pull up. She could barely see his eyes but she could tell he had a fierce and focused look on his face. His arms were incredible as he pulled himself up, biceps full of muscle and his chest pumping up into muscled pectorals when he'd pull completely up. She was getting a little turned on and wondered if he could see her. The swingset was in a corner of the backyard that wasn't exactly easy to see from her window, but it was close enough to spy on him. 

He did about thirty pull ups and only started to show signs of strain towards the end as his abs, which were popping out across his stomach, swelled and then tensed with his breathing in his final lift. Sweat rolled glistened on his chest and down the valley between his abs and into his navel. He let go of the bar and his arms looked immediately more jacked than before. 

Tommy put his head back and looked up at the trees, gloved hands to his waist, chest rising and falling and seemed to just stand there, letting the breeze cool him.

Gisella couldn't bear to watch anymore without needing a cold shower. She had never witnessed anything so male and so powerful. He was like a walking talking sex toy ready to wreck havoc on the world. She laughed at her thoughts and then got up to go to the bathroom. 

Sitting on the toilet she remembered she had a toy hidden behind some towels in her linen closet. She had hid the toy in the fears that if she were to, God forbid, die, she didn't want her mom to find it. She shook her head realizing what she was about to do. 

She finished up and went to the closet. Until something or someone happened, she was going to pleasure herself to the thought of her neighbor upstairs. The one she wanted to forget about and at the same time get to know.

 

***

"The kid cleaned his act up," Tommy said into his cell as he talked to Colt. It had been a week of training Hector Rivas and Tommy was pleased that he only had to talk a small amount of fear into him. No more attention span wandering, Hector was front and center and eye to eye with Tommy as the latter told him how it was going to be if he trained him. The kid was taller, younger, and almost as ripped, but Tommy could see fear in his eyes. Tommy had taken his finger and put it to Hector's temple and said, "You fuck me over, it's on you and your career as a fighter, you understand?" Hector was quick to nod. Tommy continued, "I am not doing this for shits and giggles. I'm going to train you like Paddy Conlon trained me. But I can only get you to Sparta if you follow the regimen to the letter. You copy?" Hector immediately said he copied. 

Tommy had scared an unfocused kid senseless, but it was for his own good. He had seen a huge improvement in that week and was quite pleased. He let Hector know it by telling him, "We're good to continue for the next few months. You just do what I say and you're going to be in Atlantic City."

Colt was happy with the news as he had been in and out managing another fighter in Philly. For a while Hector had been disappointing and turning out trash work. He knew if anyone could get someone back in line, it was a no-holds-barred ex-Marine with a few chips on his shoulder.

 

Tommy had a friend drop him off at home one day after training Hector and he saw Gisella coming out of the apartment house with a very short black skirt on, black leggings, and thigh high boots. She had a bag that looked like one of those cake carriers and she was all smiles when she saw him.

"Hello, Tommy," she said with her beautiful smile that he dug.

"Gisella, heya," he said, trying to not stare at the black boots. His mind was exploding over those boots. Shit, girl.

"Just going to drop these off at a party," she volunteered.

"Yeah? More cupcakes?" 

"You got it!"

Tommy realized she had made him stop in his tracks at the top step of the house as she ran down them and to her Jeep. She made notice of it and smiled as she put the cupcakes in the back seat behind her and got into the vehicle. She waved again once she was in the Jeep and started the ignition when he finally turned and went inside. Mrs. Locato was in the hall with her dog and she noticed the look on Tommy's face, which he had not realized had been showing.

"That girl, Gisella...she's a cute one, isn't she?" Locato said.

Tommy looked at her and shrugged his shoulders and then went up the stairs, "Yeah, Mrs. Locato. I suppose so."

"It's a shame what her ex used to do to her," she said up at him.

Tommy stopped as he almost got to the second floor landing. His hand rubbed the railing, deciding if he would take the gossip bait put before him.

Mrs. Locato saw that as an in, "She broke up with him immediately after but he'd hit her a few times. Real nasty guy. She was good girl to get away from him...most of them stay. Not Gisella."

Tommy felt his heart race out of anger. Someone laid hands on her? A girl with a smile and a disposition like that? He hoped that guy never came around. He wasn't in the mood to get arrested for putting a man into a coma.


	7. Chapter 7

3 months later

Gisella was going strong in her cupcake business as the summer months were hitting. She had to enlist a friend's help to keep her deadlines and things were looking so good that she was thinking of moving to a bigger and better place when she realized what she'd be missing.

The eye candy, as her little sister would call it.

Tommy and her still only casually spoke off and on. He had been busy training a fighter who she read had placed second like he did at Sparta VII. Tommy had been angry that his trainee had not won first place but blamed himself. He had still continued to work out at all hours and even started to turn it up a notch and installed a workout bench in the back yard. Every so often Gisella would go to the window to look at him work out. She couldn't always see him if the moon wasn't out, but she had cracked her window one time and would catch him grunting and breathing. 

Her eavesdropping was becoming a little too commonplace and she decided to cut it off when she heard him bring a woman home one night. Gisella was angry at the turn of events because she had tried to catch his attention months back, but with no results. Now, right above her own bed, she was listening to the soft moaning and eventual cries of a woman being banged by Tommy. His bed could even be heard knocking the wall up above and it made Gisella jump out of bed to find her earplugs. Finally locating them she was able to hear the woman shatter and call out his name before getting the things in her ears in time.

Gisella stewed for some time after that and if she saw Tommy she'd give him the cold shoulder. This had the effect of making him smile at her more, in an attempt to make her smile, but it didn't work. He had no clue what she was upset about, probably, and she wasn't going to tell him, either.

It wasn't until one night when her ex returned one last time to assault her that Tommy finally started hanging around more.

Gisella's ex, Jason, had always been a control freak. At first that was all she'd see out of him until he moved in with her when they originally came to this apartment. He had hit her three times. Three. She blamed herself for allowing him to do it a second time but had hoped he'd never do it again. She was shocked when he did it, and had not been raised in a house where women just took that from men. The third time he did it she called the cops, who came, had him get his stuff a week later, and put the fear into him to never come back again.

She had only seen him once again, at a nightclub in the city, and he was with his current girlfriend, who looked timid around him. Jason had seen Gisella and stared at her until Sarah showed up and screamed at him, "What the FUCK are you looking at, asshole?!" That ended that.

Gisella didn't have to really worry about the guy and it was probably because he was already cheating on her with that girl, and Gisella herself wasn't dating anyone. It made him take his focus and put it on someone else more easily. Gisella felt bad for his current girlfriend but it was none of her concern and she was happy to be rid of him.

One evening in late May, Gisella was watching TV and baking a hundred cupcakes for an old woman's 100th birthday party. It was funny because the old woman, who was apparently feisty, had requested she put a "B" for bitch on the things as she was still proud to be the way she was at her ripe age. Gisella had hoped she was going to live that long and have that attitude. She was about to switch channels when she heard a knock at her door.

Having a peephole that was too tall for her she went to find a stool. Whoever made that hole was obviously not thinking of 5'4" women. Before she could get the stool from the bathroom someone busted in her door. She ran from the hall and when she saw who it was the blood drained out of her face. It was Jason, drunk, looking at her like she had just insulted him. 

"You bitch, I knew you'd be fucking someone!" he yelled and lunged at her. She screamed tried to shield herself with her arms out of reflex. She didn't know who he had been referring to but realized she was wearing a cut off tee and boy shorts. Maybe he grossly assumed because how she was dressed that she was in a relationship. She used to wear the same around him at home and now wore it to bake in when alone. 

Jason was hitting her and it hurt badly. She saw stars by the third punch to the face and then when he pulled her up by her hair she was able to scream help before he tried to pull her to the bedroom. 

The next thing she knew she was coming to again, as she realized she had blacked out and Tommy Conlon was beating the absolute tar out of Jason. It looked so bad that Jason appeared to be half-dead when a neighbor from across the hall intervened. "No, man! Don't kill him!!" the man yelled as he pulled Tommy off Jason. Other neighbors rushed in, including the landlady, and one of them said, "I'm calling the police...that's her ex."

 

Gisella came home the next night after the hospital checked her out. No stitches had been needed, thankfully, and nothing was broken. Gisella was shocked that she had been a victim of abuse once more. She was angry and almost tried to blame herself for not keeping the stool close but realized it wouldn't have mattered; Jason was the bad one and he himself caused all of this, whether she had been able to see out the door before he kicked it in or not.

Sarah was there to drive her home from the hospital. When they got to the front door of the apartments, they saw Tommy sitting on the front steps. He got up and nodded his head when he made mental note of her injuries. Jason had been taken away to another hospital and then was going to go to jail for a while. Tommy was going to be on the lookout for him if he dared show his face again.

"You look better than I last saw you," Tommy attempted to joke. Gisella made a weak smile and Sarah and him helped her up the stairs.

"It's okay, Sarah, I am fine from here," she told her. Sarah asked her if she was sure and then looked at Tommy. The guy had barely a scratch on him.

"I'll help her," he said. Sarah was nodded and then turned, "Text, call, let me know if this guy Tommy can't handle the job," Sarah called out, teasing them both.

Tommy looked at her and didn't smile, but Gisella cracked a half one. "Thanks, I'm sure I can manage without you both."

***

The assault had happened a month ago now and Gisella suffered no permanent injury and Jason never returned. She was sitting on her couch thinking about that and had met with a crisis group which helped her deal with the aftermath, which was sometimes blaming herself and bouts of crying.

She had also appreciated how one of those bouts led to Tommy letting her cry on him. He had come over to check on her one night, make sure Jason wasn't contacting her, and see if she needed anything. They talked that night for an hour, at one point she started crying and he pulled her close and hugged her. 

Nothing else happened. That was it. She cried on his white tee and finally smelled his scent, which was very pleasing. She could've sworn after a bonding moment like that Tommy would've cupped her face, looked down at her and said, "I want you," but he didn't. 

She was wondering if it was her. He hung around a lot more during that time, which is to say he came over for five minutes at a time, except for the crying fit incident. He went on his merry way, working out, running, angrily taking a phone call here and there and looking at her funny when he'd see her at times. It was getting old and she was going to go online and meet someone. 

A man can only live above you so long and not come onto you after all that time before you take the hint.


	8. Chapter 8

Door slam! 2 am

Gisella was woken from a deep sleep. She immediately jumped up, scared Jason was at the door and then as she came to her senses she realized it was Tommy coming back from a run. She was angry at him for so many things over the past six months, from not asking her out, to not even wanting to knock on her door for a simple booty call. She didn't care how he comforted her that one night. She was tired of him waking her up with either coming in from a workout or bringing some cheap girl home.

She heard something thud above her and she said, "That does it! Damn it all!" She got up, only wearing a bra and panties and put her robe on and marched upstairs. 

Knocking heavily on the door, she made sure she looked angry at the peephole in case he looked out it. She heard the door unlock and he threw the door open wearing a white "wife beater" and sweatpants.

His face looked like he was perturbed with her, "Yes?" he asked. 

"Don't you think other people are trying to sleep?" she asked and then walked past the threshold and into his apartment so as not to argue in the hall. 

He turned and looked at her and had the door still open in his hand, "Well, nice to see you, Gisella."

"You don't ever think about how loud you are? How loud your stupid running, and working out and...other things...are?" she said, arms folded. She was probably going overboard by insulting his exercising but she was sick of it and knew good and well he'd pick up on what that last thing was she referred to.

He shut the door, "Look, I am sorry if what I'm doing outside or on my back bothers you," he took the bait, "but I pay rent here too. Maybe you should invest in, I dunno, some fuckin' earplugs?"

Gisella was flustered with how he answered, "Tommy! I shouldn't have to. You're the one making all the noise! And I can't be the only one you're waking up!"

Tommy came closer to her, "Yeah, come to think of it, you and Mrs. Locato are the only ones who have an issue."

Gisella raised her voice a little, "That's because the other people are too intimidated by you to say anything!"

Tommy shook his head and went to the kitchen, "Hey, I realize your activity calendar is a little thin. All I'm sayin' is, if you want to invest in some earplugs, I might recommend a good brand. Or...you can keep watching me work out at night and do whatever it is you do up there while I take care of my business."

Oh no he didn't, Gisella thought. He was very perceptive and very rude. It was crap that she had to pay as much as she did in rent only to be waken from her sleep like clockwork very morning at 2. She didn't deserve this and she didn't care for him taking a jab at her lack of social activities.

"You wish I was doing that," she finally came up with as a response. Her eyes were betraying her, however, and he knew better. 

"You know, these walls are paper thin, Gisella," he answered and smiled darkly at her.

"Screw you, Tommy," she said and looked at him.

Tommy put down a bottle of water he had picked up and then said to her, "Maybe you need to, babe."

Gisella didn't know how to follow up with that. Tommy was standing there pretty much goading her now. This was her in, but she didn't know if she should give in and get what she'd been yearning for or tell him to go to hell. One of those options would have her feeling amazing within the hour and the other would make her pride skyrocket.

Tommy studied her, waiting for her response, and then when that took too long he made an oh well look with his eyes, shrugged his shoulders, and turned to put the bottle up. While his back was to her and he opened the refrigerator to look for something, she opened her robe, and dropped it to the floor. She wanted to feel good for once, the hell with pride.

Tommy turned back around and laid eyes on her in her lacy bra and panties. His eyes met hers and then slowly went down to her cleavage, down her stomach, and to the gap between her legs. Shit, Tommy.

"So," he breathed, coming towards her, "I take it that's a yes?"

She nodded and when he did so he crossed his wrists and pulled the bottom of his shirt off and over him. Gisella took in his body and was beside herself. 

As he came within inches of her, she couldn't meet his eyes, so she focused on his chest, her hands resting upon it. Tommy was looking at her, turning his head to try and get her to look at him. His warm hands went to her sides and his thumbs hooked under her panties at her hips. He was breathing steadily and she was almost afraid to look down and see his cock, which was more than ready now.

"It is a yes," she answered and finally met his eyes.

He sighed and removed his hands from her sides and splayed them across her ass, until he brought her up a bit closer to him. "Good, because if I was being perfectly honest, baby girl, I'd tell you I've been wanting to do what we're about to do for a while now."

"You never said anything," Giselle said softly, her hands caressing the sparse hair on his warm chest. 

"That goes for you, too. Could've said somethin'," he told her. His eyes looked soft and his lips were full and wet. She was swooning inside. She looked down and saw how turned on he was. The outline of the head was pushing through his sweatpants and straining against the fabric. He looked down too and she took her right hand and slowly put it down his pants. She looked back up at him and he was biting his lower lip, a sparkle in his eyes. When she felt his cock she gasped as he was not just built muscle-wise, but had more than enough to make a woman happy downstairs.

Tommy's eyes closed and his lips parted as she started to stroke him. Her hand was dry so she ran it over the pre-cum that was accumulating at the tip. Tommy swore through his lips and started to move. "God..." he breathed. 

Gisella couldn't believe this was finally really happening. After months and months of taking care of herself when she'd see him and now, to have it in her hands, attached to such an amazingly powerful body. She was pulsating and had to cool down so she didn't orgasm in her panties.

They made their way to his bedroom and onto the bed where Tommy removed his sweatpants, and his cock practically leaped forth. Gisella grinded into the bed as he was on his knees looking down at her. He could see her panties were soaked, with a slickness even, and he almost came right then and there. To have this girl be so turned on by him that she was creaming herself. It made him want to explode.

He pulled off her panties and she unlatched her bra. He quickly threw both to the side and spread her legs. He looked down at her and admired the dark pink folds, slick with her juices. There, at the top of her mound was a perfect pearl; wet, poking out like a little button, beginning him to lick it.

"Tommy, God...hurry..." Gisella moaned.

"You want me to make you feel good, huh?"

"Yess..." 

Her mind was going crazy at the thought of those lips on her down there. Those big thick lips and that dirty mouth of his.

Tommy spread her lips and put two fingers in and she moaned louder. He couldn't believe it but he could make out a slight pulsating. This girl was sensitive and very very turned on. Tommy had to not waste too much time or they both were going to cum all over his bed without him even putting his cock inside her. And he wanted to fuck her so damn badly.

His mouth landed on her lips and he started to feast on her. She tasted amazing down there and her hands twisted in his hair, pulling at him, as she ground on him. Those lips of his were warm and his tongue applied just the right amount of pressure on her clit. He was lapping her up, sucking her in, and without regard to how loud she was getting.

He wanted to bring her to the brink of almost cumming but he didn't know her well enough as a partner. He sat up and her eyes opened and took him in. "Do you want to fuck me? Or do you want me to fuck you?"

The way he said it was both very dirty and very hot. All Gisella could get out was, "Me...fuck me."

He smoothed her hair out of her face with his hand and lay down, hovering his body above hers, "I want you to cum all over me, k?"

If he didn't hurry she was going to release all over his comforter.

She nodded and he reached down, his eyes not leaving hers, and took ahold of himself and started to push into her. Giselle's back arched a few inches off the bed and her breasts wobbled. She let out a deep groan, as he felt so thick it made her ache. She heard him say, "Yeahhh..." under his breath and then he hoisted himself over her with his fists into the mattress, his hips applying pressure to hers. He wanted to smash that pussy, make her clit feel the pressure.

The view was lovely for them both. Her eyes adored him and he picked up on it and didn't look away. Sometimes they'd steal glances at other parts of each other, especially his ripped chest and her hard nipples. Her hands were on his back and her fingers dug in as he undulated into her. She looked down at where they were connected. Tommy rose up more to show her how he was going in and almost out of her. His cock looked beautiful and thick as it thrust into her again and again. 

The pressure was too much to bear. Gisella could feel the ache building and building deep inside her. Tommy could feel her getting warmer as the blood rushed down. 

Her climax came and drove through her making her holler and pull him in farther with her thighs, her feet locked behind him. This orgasm was tight and ticklish, almost making her feel it in her stomach. Tommy saw that she was cumming and he joined soonafter. Tommy sounded like she'd expect he'd sound when he came; like an animal.

Was that a second orgasm she began to feel? Tommy was still in her and she swore this wasn't just one long orgasm but another release. She wailed and Tommy's eyes went big, "Holy shit...you going again?" he asked, amazed. She nodded and he was pleased. 

That was round one.


	9. Chapter 9

Sarah had to be at work at noon when she got a text from Gisella asking her if she was awake yet. Gisella knew Sarah's schedule and yet it was odd that she'd ask if she was awake. It was 8 am and usually Sarah was just waking up.

"This better be important," Sarah said when she called Gisella as she stood in her bathroom.

"Sarah! I just got back from Tommy's...he and I had sex all night long!"

Sarah stood there for a moment in shock. She had been writing Conlon off as a lost cause and was about ready to set her best friend up with a male nurse at work. Tommy had pretty much taken any hints and either didn't catch them or disregarded them. Of course, Gisella wasn't very good at getting her point across when it came to things like this. 

"Are you messing with me? You. Tommy Conlon. Fucking?" she joked with Gisella but still in disbelief.

"No! He totally..." Gisella whispered, "...he totally made me like...you know...about ten damn times!"

"Orgasm? He made you orgasm a decade?" Sarah tried to get from her friend.

"Yes! Oh my God he's incredible. Like, he's too good to be true."

Sarah sat down on the toilet to pee, "Good God. So he fucks really good? How big is his penis? What's his O Face like?"

"Sarah! So...I can't tell you everything because that's gross...but yeah, he's the best I've ever had..."

"...That's not saying much," Sarah teased.

"...Seriously. Sarah, I think I squirted at one time."

"Whoa. What was that like? I think I've done that before but wasn't sure. It could've been anything."

"Sarah...he just...I can't wait to see him tonight. He had to go run and then has to meet with some people about training another guy."

"You two gonna fuck like, all the time now...do I need to find a new friend to hang out with?"

"Sarah, you may not see me for a couple weeks," now Gisella was teasing her back.

"Get pictures, like of his peen," Sarah got in one last jab.

"Sarah!"

"Bye, Mrs. Conlon. Hey, let me know if you can come to Stephanie's party next week. She needs a head count. Oh, and I am positive she would love you to bring Captain Orgasm."

"Sarah, please don't say anything to Stephanie. I am surprised I got somewhat through to him. He's not easy to open up until you're standing there in his face arguing with him."

"You so need to tell me more. Talk to you later, Gisella."

***

Tommy was shaving after getting back from his run when he noticed a red scratch on his chest. And another. And another. And a few going down his abdominals. He turned his back and looked at as much as he could over his shoulder in the mirror. Yep. Scratches on his back, as well.

"Shit, girl," he said and continued to shave. She had really gone to town on him. Of course, he did, too as he knows she wasn't walking funny when she first arrived at his apartment.

Gisella had been a lot of fun. He loved that she truly enjoyed sex. She was game for just about anything he tried, course there wasn't too much experimentation, just him thrusting into her and her riding him. She fucked with wild abandon and it was surprising. Course, from what he understood she had been celibate for almost a year. 

A year without anyone making love to that. It was truly amazing.

He wanted more and he wanted it as soon as he could get it. Before he could finish that thought he was getting a text from his brother, Brendan. 

BRENDAN: Are you sitting down?

Tommy rolled his eyes. This had better lead up to good news. He hated question texts. He hated any texts.

TOMMY: No. What's up?

BRENDAN: Frank and I finally found space in New York for the second gym.

Tommy's brows rose. This was really good news and something he had stopped hearing about six months ago. He was beginning to think it fell through and was ready to write it all off. It was something Brendan and Frank were wanting to do for years but the spaces were either overpriced, even for Brendan being a multimillionaire now, or needed major refurbishing that would almost mean tearing an entire three story building down in Brooklyn.

TOMMY: Congrats, man

A few minutes elapsed and then Tommy got a follow up text.

BRENDAN: So. Are you still planning on moving there to help me with this thing? 33 percent, Tom

Tommy didn't want any stake in this and Brendan kept trying to talk him into it. He was glad for Brendan and Frank, and he would help with the set up, layout, and a few other items but he didn't want to go in on this as a partner. He wanted to just live his life and remain in Pittsburgh. It was Brendan's idea that he'd go to New York and stay.

TOMMY: I'm still up in the air.

After he said that his phone was ringing. It was Brendan. Fuck, man. He wanted to throw the phone out the window. His brother should know how to read what he was really trying to tell him. 

"Hello?" Tommy answered with an annoyed tone.

"Tommy...what do you mean still up in the air? Please tell me you're in a hot air balloon," Brendan pleaded.

"Brendan, you know I will help you and Frank but I don't want no partnership, no LLC, no CEO...nothin', man. You know this."

"Tommy, I don't feel right not putting you in on this deal. I mean, what are you going to do? Stay in the 'Burgh and train Colt's fighters?"

"Yes. That's what I was plannin' on doing."

"Tommy. First you don't take my money, then, you have me send it to Pilar, then you refuse a chance to make seriously good money and get away from old memories."

"Brendan. This is your and Frank's baby, not mine. I'll help you get it off the ground in any way..."

"Who's the girl, Tommy?" Brendan cut him off. This pissed Tommy off and made his blood boil. His brother was always somehow finding out his business.

"That's not the issue, Brendan," he said low. If his brother could've seen his face, it would've looked like it had on the shore at Atlantic City that one night, "I just met someone, yes, but my thoughts on the second gym have been long-standing, before any other recent events."

"Okay, okay, just asking. Tess had heard something."

Again, how the fuck did Brendan's wife know anything?

"Oh yeah? What did Tess hear?" Tommy asked, his voice slowly turning more street.

Brendan caught it and didn't want to hear Tommy misconstrue Tess' concern for him as meddling, "Look. We do know that lady across the street. Mrs. Chapman. She's the one who recommended you move in with her but you chose the place across the street."

"Brendan, the fuckin' place across the street ain't so great either. How did Mrs. Chapman gather that I was in some kind of relationship?"

"Tommy, I'm getting off the phone. Look. You know how it is. Tess worries about you. I worry about you. You don't talk to Pops and..."

"Brendan?"

"Yes?"

"I thought you said you was gettin' off the phone?"

Brendan angrily clicked End Call on his phone and cursed. His fucking brother. Nothing ever changes.


	10. Chapter 10

Gisella lay in bed watching TV and peeking at the clock and then her phone every so often. She was anxious and turned on and a huge mixture of everything else she hadn't felt in a while as she waited for Tommy to arrive or text her. They had left things open-ended because she didn't want to make it seem like she was thinking they were an item. The last thing he had said to her was, "Why do I need to do anything today other than lay around with you?" and kissed her. 

That was almost eight hours ago.

She got a text from her brother about getting a present for their mom's birthday. Apparently their little sister had already chipped in and Gisella needed to step up since their sister was all of 16 years old.

GISELLA: I know, I know. What do you think we should get mom?

VINNY: Something from that one store she likes...the one boutique her and Aunt Carla always go to.

GISELLA: That place is really expensive...but I know she loves it.

VINNY: She's turning 55, so yeah, she deserves it, too. We haven't gotten her anything substantial since we were in our teens.

Gisella and Vinny texted back and forth as she stole looks at the clock. Then she heard someone coming up the steps outside her apartment. She bolted up and ran to the door, almost opening it for Tommy when she heard Vinny call out, "Surprise!" He had apparently driven there.

Gisella yelled out, "Just a minute" as she had been lounging in barely any clothing. He just had to be dropping in now. 

After she got on some sweats and an oversize shirt she ran back to the door and let her brother in.

"What the heck were you doing in here? Wait...I don't want to know. You got Conlon living above you," he joked. Her brother was referring to how the last time he saw her at her place, she and Stephanie were going wild because of him living upstairs.

"Gross, Vinny," Gisella said.

He sat down on the couch, "I'm just dropping in to make sure things are good and make sure you're well. You haven't heard anything from Jason, again, have you? Because I will kick his ass."

Gisella nodded, "No. And it wouldn't matter. I kinda have it covered with Tommy living above me."

Vinny looked at you for a moment, "Sooo...he now talks to you? Not being Mr. Antisocial?"

Gisella wasn't about to tell him what they did last night, but she did want to see what he thought about her maybe seeing him. 

"I am interested in him, Vinny. Like, on a personal level."

Vinny smirked and then looked down at his knees, placing his hands on them. He looked back up and then said, "You got something to drink?"

It was weird but Gisella got up and got him some water from the filtered tap, "Is there a problem?"

"Thank you," he said and took the glass and then drank a few sips, "Don't get me wrong, the guy did more for his country than he got credit for, was thrown in the slammer anyways, and didn't take a dime of his brother's jackpot, but he's a total headcase, Gi."

It was something she remembered hearing before, from the random guy at Orsay half a year ago. She never really dug into it further and only heard the gossip from people in her building and the misinformation Sarah thought she had. 

"Vinny, he's safe. He literally mopped this very floor with Jason's face."

Vinny closed his eyes for a moment, nodding, "That he did. I thank him for that. But just because someone can rescue my sister doesn't mean the shit in his past is no longer heavy as hell. There's no way you can tell me that guy's rage in the ring doesn't come deep down from the pit of his stomach and could creep back up at inopportune moments. You forget my friends and I were obsessed with him for a while. We learned a lot about him, too. Wanted to be cut like that, go to his gym, et cetera...it was stupid but this town had Sparta fever after the Conlon brothers fought."

"Yeah, I know. I sort of remember that but you're wrong about him. He's not some meathead."

Vinny leaned in and broke it down for her, "Gi...a guy like that can never get over his past. He's never going to be boyfriend material."


	11. Chapter 11

Gisella's brother had left after eating half a carton of ice cream from her fridge, getting some money from her for their mom's gift, and after laying down more theories about Tommy being no good for her as a boyfriend.

It was something that now troubled Gisella. She had already been in one bad relationship, she didn't need another. Tommy exhibited no abusive behaviors, but how was she to know that? Although nothing was said about them dating, they could. She could be half a year into a relationship with him and he starts taking out his problems on her. 

She was getting ahead of herself in more ways than one. At most, the biggest things she could fault Tommy with was being moody or antisocial. That could be because he didn't know her, but now maybe things would change. 

Gisella stopped thinking about it so hard. She was irritated that her brother now put this seed of doubt in her mind. She looked at the clock and it was nearly six o'clock. Tommy was supposed to be back soon and she decided she would get in the shower to occupy her mind.

Readily-available warm water was one of modern life's greatest conveniences. She stepped into the shower and immediately selected her favorite shampoo. She had about three of them that she alternated between and the best-smelling one was going in her hair this evening. She poured it into her hand, and then bundled up her long rich brown hair onto the top of her head to massage in the suds. Her mind wandered to images of last night and the early morning. Tommy taking her left thigh up with his hand, his hips rolling into her, other hand on the bed, an impossibly thick bicep twitching a little as he started to lose it. Tommy came hard like a man of his disposition would be expected to; seething, animalistic, with an anger to him.

Gisella wanted to touch herself to the thought. She reached down and her sex was already tender and pulsating. She rubbed her clitoris and breathed his name, as if it would place him there. 

She came within a minute, a shaking, thigh quivering mess. Had Tommy been there he would've joined her, she had no doubt. She could tell he loved watching her as he had kept his eyes on her during their sessions. She drove him to orgasm as he held himself stock still over her, his cock feeling the pull of her own climax. He couldn't take it once the waves reached his cock and although he breathed in and out, trying to keep himself from cumming, it was no use. He couldn't take the ecstasy that was on display for him.

Gisella finished daydreaming and wrapped up her shower. She stole another glance at the clock in the bathroom and hurriedly got ready. She wanted to look even sexier than she had the night before. Her hair came to her midback, and when she blow dried it out it always looked incredibly sexy and it was easy to make it look like bed head. She put on light makeup, sprayed perfume on key points on her body, and slipped into a red cashmere sweater that came down low enough to show off her cleavage and black leggings. No underwear.

Her cell phone started vibrating and she ran to it. It was Tommy. She was about to let it ring three or four times as to not appear too quick to answer, but she knew good and well she was bad at that and answered after the second ring.

"Hello?" acting like she didn't know who it was. Of course he knew she'd know who it was since they had each others' phones programmed. She needed to not do that again. And overthink not doing it.

"Heya. What are you up to?" the husky voice said over the phone.

Gisella smiled and said, "Mmm, just watching TV. And you?"

"Mmm...just thinking about what we should eat for dinner. I just got done with the stuff I had to do in the city," he mimicked her at first.

"Well...what do you like, Tommy Conlon? You can't eat a whole lot of things."

He laughed and then said with a richer huskiness, "Yeah...well, there's a lot about me you don't know, Gisella."

How he said her name and how her prior boyfriends said her name were two totally different things. Her boyfriends never quite knew how to talk, as far as she was concerned. They were just repeating her given name like anyone else. But Tommy said it like he was loving it. Like he wanted you to know he found your name pretty. 

"Oh yeah? Well, surprise me. I like a lot of different foods."

"You like pizza?"

"Yes...especially from Marcello's on Amherst Street."

Tommy was thinking outloud, "Marcello's, Marcello's...I think I know where that is. And if that's what the lady wants, that is what I'm going to get."

"That's what I want," she said back, with a toying nature to her voice.

"What else you want? You want something else?"

"Maybe."

"Hmm. I don't know what maybe means. Tell me."

Gisella loved where this was going and knew what he was talking about. They both laughed to each other, close to the phone as they were talking extremely naughty.

"I want my neighbor, the guy upstairs, to bring me some pizza."

"Uh huh. And this neighbor of yours...do you want something other than pizza from him?"

"Maybe."

"Little girl, what did I tell you about 'maybe'," he teased her.

"You wanted me to tell you what it means."

"Yeah...so tell me," he started talking softer now, like the kind of talk between two lovers, "Do you want this upstairs neighbor to take his mouth to you and torture you with it? Like he did last night?..." he could hear Gisella's voice catch as he talked, "...and then penetrate you so deeply that you soak him..."

"Tommy..."

"...and you cum alllllll over him? Hmmm? Tell me, Gisella? Is that what you mean when you say 'maybe'.


	12. Chapter 12

"My Torture" by Esthero playing softly.

Tommy's back was against the cushioned headboard of Gisella's queen-sized bed, his hips moving ever so slightly as the girl astride him was grinding on him. Her body was aglow from the candles she had lit in the time between their phonecall, his rush to the pizza place, and his ride home. She had turned her apartment from a bright place filled with sunlight, into an amber-colored sanctuary that was incredibly sensual.

Her breathing was killing him. She sounded on the verge of climax and yet she wouldn't. She was riding it out and holding it longer. God how he wanted to fucking cum again and denial was making his cock more and more rigid than before. Her hands on his chest, her breasts full, their nipples looked like someone had blown cool air on them. He wanted to take one and suck it and yet his eyes would be jealous of another sense being taken over. He just wanted to look at her through barely opened eyes and listen to her soft voice. She'd hit a point where she'd ride a little faster, then slow, ride faster, then slow. 

"Tommy...I'm so close," Gisella said.

"Yeah?" he would breathe.

Her grinding picked up. His hands went to her ass and his eyes opened more, "Fuck me, baby...fuck me..." he continued.

Gisella had picked up the pace and was now smashing herself down harder onto him. He knew her final strokes well and how the pressure on her clit must've been unbearable, coupled with how he was spreading her deep inside. She was getting closer and her right hand went to her clit as her left went behind his neck. This excited Tommy and he grabbed her, coming up on his granite-strong thighs. 

"FUCK ME!" he growled, "Come on, show me how to cum hard, girl!"

Gisella burst forth a scream and the ache flooded her walls, pulling him into his own orgasm. He responded with his own guttural response, and they held to each other, tight and taut as they tried to withdraw the last sweet remnants of their climaxes.

They breathed in unison, spent, falling back onto the bed where they lay for ten minutes.

Her hand found his and he opened his palm. Gisella's fingers traced things and his fingers curled and relaxed against hers. She was warm and happy, her body flooded with all of her senses. Her mound was wet but pleasured and she could feel her heartbeat there. It had not seen this much use in a long time and now to have it expand for a cock and react so stunningly each and every time, it was almost emotional.

She kept that emotion at bay. It was too soon for that but she could see herself falling in love with him.

He lay there, his eyes closed and she admired his lashes. She followed them down to his lips. Full and supple they looked almost too sensual for a man. She had to kiss them soon, if she could only get up. She followed the lips down to the lightly stubbled chin, dusted with blonde, gold, and light brown hair. She could see a pulse in his neck as she followed it down to his chest. 

His body. Gisella had never in her life imagined she'd be able to make love to a body like that, and have it used on her, driving her mad. Dark tattoos swirled against the muscles and cut edges of his arms, chest, and stomach. She followed them to the patch of hair at his groin. One of her favorite objects as of late rested there, it's duty done earlier to put her into a fever. Damn, the body on this man. 

The v-shaped indention at his hips juxtaposed to the swell of his thighs to form the rest of his powerful body, on down to his calves and feet. She hoped he wasn't cold, too, as she put her feet against his thighs.

"Oh god!" he gasped, Gisella's cold toes shocking him, making her laugh at his response "Girl, that's like trying to suck my dick after I just came...it's uncomfortable!"

"Sorry, Tommy," she snickered and moved closer to put her head on his chest.

Ah, heartbeat. Nice and steady.

"Be more careful."

"K, Tommy," her hand going down to rest on his torso, "How many are there..." she counted his abdominals, "Six?"

"Eight."

"I only see six."

"Eight."

"No..."

Tommy sighed. She could tell that he then smiled, something that despite their newfound hobby, was still not frequently done. The look of extreme want and heaviness was what she got out of him these last two days, but at least he was coming around.

The pizza on the counter was likely getting cold. Gisella had Peroni but knew he couldn't drink it. Something she heard about his father. Tommy couldn't drink and wouldn't drink. She wondered if what he'd be like drunk and could come up with a good and bad response. It was probably best to not know.

Tommy rubbed his eyes with his right hand, "I think we need to eat that pizza. It was twenty bucks," he said.

Gisella sat up and he watched her. She had a nice body that wasn't completely fit. She had curves in the right places and tightness in others. After the pizza he wanted to taste her again, orally please her and then taste what he brought her to. He wanted to make her throb again like the last time, a clear droplet emerging at her entrance.

This girl was going to be the end of him, unless he fucked it that up, too.


	13. Chapter 13

Gisella and Tommy sat on the floor and ate pizza at her coffee table, their backs against her couch. Her music continued to play after they both agreed there was nothing on TV worth watching. She was surprised he ate so much of the large pizza as she assumed he'd only allow himself a few pieces. After her three slices the rest was gone and she giggled at him when she realized it. He was too into his eating that he paid no mind to that and looked around her apartment.

She had a really nicely-decorated apartment compared to the Spartan living he had upstairs, he thought. He had a couch, an old entertainment center that just had a TV in it, an ottoman that he used as a coffee table, a king-sized bed, small breakfast table and some side tables. He didn't plan on living in his apartment, and instead used it to sleep, eat, fuck, and shower. There were a few items of decoration but they were, again, few and far between. Mainly stuff from the Corps, a few things from Seattle when he'd go there with his mom, a picture of his mom, a drawing one of his nieces did and a picture of Manny. Gisella's apartment was worlds apart. She actually had a place one would love to come home to. It was airy and white with a soft gray couch, too many pillows for his taste, a mint green throw, plants, a widescreen TV, pictures, a desk with a laptop and comfortable chair, a four poster queen sized bed with lavender sheets that he could've sworn smelled like the plant, a few shelves with all sorts of keepsakes, art, books, and pictures on them (including one of her and a friend in Halloween costumes, Gisella wearing something really cute), a full dining room table with six chairs, lemons in a bowl in the middle of it, pretty rugs...it was very inviting. Candles were everywhere and they looked like the expensive ones people would get at the store Tess loved at the mall. His place must've looked like a dump to her.

He finished his last slice and took a long drink of water. She watched him drink and admired how powerful his forearm looked, his hand with the veins running through it all nice and masculine as he held the glass. It was secretly funny to her that it was a Smurfs glass but she wasn't about to laugh again at something he was doing. Tommy rolled his lips and then looked at her, "Hey, what do you do for a livin'?" he asked, 'Burghese-thick. After knowing her for a year he'd still never bothered to ask and she'd never bothered to tell.

She told him and he nodded, "'Cause I always see you here, even when I come home during the day from the gym...figured you had somethin' nice like that, something that allowed you to work from anywhere." His eyes were such a lovely shade of grayish blue. It was a faint blue, but still discernible through those puffy eyelids. On anyone else those eyes would look like they needed a week of sleep, but on Tommy they looked sexy.

"It pays well, but I want this cupcake thing to work out."

"Yeah. Those are good."

Gisella smiled and sat there for a moment. He wasn't much for talking on his own. The longest talk they had was when she'd cried after Jason assaulted her, but that was about her and Jason and her trying to get past the fear. Nothing about her other than that, and certainly nothing about him.

About him. That topic was something she wished to broach but he seemed so closed up, unless they were having sex. That was the one time he'd come alive. She wanted to know more about him especially the hard past everyone had said he'd endured. Only problem is, she couldn't just outright ask about it. She knew good and well that would have to be volunteered by him either by being led to it or him outright bringing it up. There was no way she was going to say, 'So I heard your life has been horrible up until now.' 

Gisella wanted and needed to know more. She devised a way to talk about her life. 

"You know what, I have a photo album somewhere..." she sat up and went over to one of her shelves that had all sorts of books on it, "...Here it is. I want to show you some funny stuff." 

She sat down next to him real close and his arm went around her and rested on the couch. There was enough room between where they were sitting and the coffee table to rest the top of the album against it. She opened it up across them and she had the left side and he had the right.

The first photos were of her as a child, a really young child. There was one where she was four in a photo where she was leaning against her mom as she sat with her little brother in the woman's lap, "This is my mom and my brother Vinny. My dad had died just a year prior. Car accident on his way to the mill."

Tommy was looking at the picture and then turned to her, "Your dad worked at the mill? So did my dad. Which one?"

"Three Rivers. He was one of the plant managers," she told him, "Hit some black ice and ended up hitting an oncoming bus."

Tommy shook his head slowly, "Sorry to hear that. My dad was a foreman until he fucked that up. Same mill."

Gisella turned to him, "Same mill? I wonder if they knew each other? We're about the same age."

"We're eight years apart, girly," he joked, "But our dads may have indeed been there at the same time. Paddy worked there for twenty six years."

Here was Gisella's acting part. She didn't want him to know she knew that was his dad's name. She had done some reading and found enough articles that talked about his trainer/father, Paddy Conlon. She knew the man had a drinking problem partially from one article where they interviewed Paddy and mainly from the mouths of friends and neighbors. Seems Paddy discovered a lot of people wanted to talk to him once Tommy had appeared at Sparta.

"How did your dad mess things up?" she tried to innocently go for it.

Tommy's face didn't change and he flipped to the next page. It was a photo of Gisella at one of her birthday parties, her favorite pink dress on and her mom and new stepfather there with her and a cake.

"He loved the bottle too much," he finally said, and then said nothing more. He rolled his lips again and asked about the man in the photo, "Who's this?"

She didn't press and got her answer both about Paddy and how Tommy would react to such questions. "That's my stepfather, Keith. He and my mom had a baby several years later, my little sister Shannon."

"Good Irish name," he said and then looked at the photo on the other page. Gisella dressed as a fairy with her brother as an army guy and toddler Shannon as a bumble bee.

"Yeah, my brother and I are Italian. Florentine. My mom and dad's ancestors came from there, traced them down to the same village. Keith came along and was the Irish guy who married my mom. He's a good guy."

"You're lucky," Tommy said quietly, and then turned the page again. "My family is Irish, both sides."

They continued to look at her photo album and Tommy saw her grow up. The album had been a blend of several other albums that she redid as one bigger one, so he saw her go from the age of two to twenty-two. She tried to flip the pages quickly when they had gotten to the junior high period, with her goofy braces and hair, but he made her slow down. "We all have those photos," he said. She took this chance to try and learn more.

"What pictures do you have?" she asked in a friendly manner.

Again, he was a little quiet for a moment, "None. Brendan has them," he answered, "All the ones of me from the age of fourteen until I graduated high school are in Tacoma. Probably in a landfill."

"Oh. I figured you had some when you said we all have those kinds of photos."

"I meant in general. I moved from here to Washington when I was fourteen, mom died when I was sixteen, and for three years I lived with some people from her church. Nice family, but they don't mean nothin' to me. So why would they keep any photos. Wasn't their son."

"Maybe they have. When is the last time you talked to them?"

He changed the subject, "This photo of you...you were in volleyball?"

Gisella could see he was stopping there. She wasn't going to push on about his past. "I was. Still can play a mean game. That's college."

"Yeah," he said, "I like the shorts."

She was wearing tiny shorts in that picture. She had gone to college down in Georgia, where her aunt lived, University of Georgia. All the girls down there played some sort of sport you could play outside in warmer weather, be it softball, track and field, cheerleading, or volleyball. It's where her sister now wanted to go in two years.

"No Ordinary Love" came on by Sade. The timing had been perfect since they were finished with the album. It was a song too sensual to be simply listened to.

Gisella initiated kissing Tommy slowly. At first he was slow and then he picked up, his mouth hungrily taking hers. He ended up moving the heavy couch back with one hand and laying her down on the floor. He grabbed a pillow from the couch and put it under her head. Without spoken words they started making out, his hands up her shirt, hers pulling at his and finally coming off, his warm torso on her. He moved his hand down the sweatpant shorts she had put on and started to finger her.

She was going to cum hard on his fingers, which were borderline perfect and too rough. He had them curled perfectly, fitting two in her, which felt like too much, and was sweeping what she could only assume was her G Spot.

Within a minute his cock was hard and pressing into her thigh painfully. She thought to herself that if he had wanted to he could've held her down and not let her up, if he wanted to. He was incredibly turned on and very strong and it turned her on beyond her wildest imagination. It was fun to think of how he had so much control over her. She almost wanted him to angrily fuck her, and it both thrilled her because although that could be scary, she didn't care. She wanted him so bad.

She put her hand to his throat and squeezed. Tommy took his hand out of her pants and stopped her from cumming down there. He breathed, "Take off your shorts," his puffy eyes more serious than she's ever seen them.

Gisella complied and he pulled his pants down just enough for his ass to stick out, his cock freed. He held her close, putting his one arm around her, his thickness pushing into her with a low moan from them both. He fucked her so tight and close, they felt like one body on her floor. His body heat was tremendous and he was almost crushing her with his frame.

His back muscles felt like they belonged on a huge newly unshackled animal, like a wolf, and she was the prey he caught. There was no room between them, just skin to skin and a building sweat.

She felt him almost start to shake and cum before her so she let go, afraid to lose her chance. He was so deep that she felt her cervix would be battered had they kept it up and she was relieved to both climax and end the onslaught. Aching, lovely, painful onslaught it was.

If they were going to just have sex with no forays into his past, she could live with that for now, but she wondered if he'd always be so tight about his past.

She could let it slide a little bit longer.


	14. Chapter 14

"So. Are you guys coming to Steph's party tomorrow? I mean, I'm surprised you still haven't confirmed," Sarah said almost a week later while Gisella was with her out running errands.

"I don't know yet, is that bad?" Gisella answered as Sarah quickly changed lanes to avoid missing an exit, "Gee, Sarah, you want to make it there in one piece?"

"Sorry, I forgot how you are when I drive."

"Just want to arrive alive, is all," Gisella seemed more aggravated than usual.

Once they were safely on the side road Sarah asked her, "Is there something wrong, Gi? Is work bothering you again?"

Gisella nodded, "No. Not work. It's just...I guess it's Tommy."

Sarah looked at her and then back at the road, "Conlon? What's wrong with him? Other than the obvious?"

"Sarah, don't."

"What? He's a hard nut to crack, isn't he?" Sarah nailed it.

"Just, yes...but...I want to keep an open mind about him but he's weird. Last weekend we had a lot of fun, you know. I mean, it was nonstop sex and then the rest of the week has been him rushing to the gym, running, working out..."

"Doing Tommy Conlon type stuff," Sarah interrupted, quite pleased with how he's behaved according to everyone's expectations. She wanted Gisella to be happy but Sarah always had to be right.

"...Yeah but I would've figured he'd stop for me. I know we haven't said anything about dating, or being a couple, and we've just taken it slow, but already...to not come by once this week?"

"Girl, he's married to his body. And his torment. I could've told you that. I dated that one guy who was a fighter, too."

"Sarah, Mitch was a weekend backyard boxing match fighter, who had a day job at the window tint place that he hated because his older brother was his boss and a jerk," Gisella shook her head.

"Yeah but he was all about getting jacked like those MMA guys. He was all into it like your brother and everyone else in town. And now you're playing hide the salami with the guy who started the craze."

Tommy was a brooding local legend and she was tired of hearing it. He had more to him than just his sorrowful past and his training. There had to be something left of him that needed someone who loved him to bring it out. He needed a woman's love and not the kind that just banged him and left.

"I mean, Gisella, I get it...he's incredible in many ways. The body on that guy is fucking unreal. But in order to get through to him...and I don't think anyone but a shrink at the VA will be able to do this...but in order to wake that dude up he's gonna need a full-blown exorcism, I'm tellin' ya."

Gisella was depressed. Why did this have to be so weird and so hard?

"You know, it's all too soon, anyways. We just connected, I mean he's busy," she tried to reason outloud.

"Yeah, maybe. But I agree with what you told me Vinny said. He's damaged goods. Plus, he's like what...ten years older than you."

"That's not a problem and it isn't ten years. You know I've always been more mature than my age. Not partying too much, always the designated driver."

"Well, ask him if he wants to go. Go up to his apartment, knock on the door, ask him about the party. He'll either say no or yes."

"What I really want to ask him is where we stand. Not about a party."


	15. Chapter 15

Later that evening Gisella saw Tommy run up the steps, gym bag in his hand, cell in the other to his ear, and so she came out of her apartment. "No Brendan, I haven't. I told you yesterday I haven't gone by to see him. I will but this week's been tough," she heard him talking as he came up the steps. He was wearing his gray hoodie with a black shirt underneath, and Adidas track pants. He had his beanie pulled down low as usual and looked menacing as hell, until he walked up to her, "Brendan, hold on," and kissed her on the lips. He then turned and left her floor to continue up the stairs to his third story apartment. She could hear him continuing his conversation all the way up the stairs.

She stood out there for a few seconds more and then went back to her apartment. She shut the door and wondered if he was finally going to come down and talk to her. She went to her bedroom to see if she could hear if he was still on the phone and he was. She went back into the living room and sat down and started to look at something online. After twenty minutes she started to hear lot of banging around up there and it led her to believe he was moving furniture or, God forbid, working out again. He had a weight bench up there among his sparse furnishings. A bit of bass could be heard and she shook her head. His rap music was a definite sign he was working out.

Two hours later and he still didn't come around, so she freshened up a little, went up the stairs and knocked on his door.

She heard some clanging around and when the door opened, there was Tommy, sweating like he had been in a sauna, his neck and torso wet, his chest breathing up and down like he had been killing himself in his usual way of working out.

The rap music was louder and it was angry. He eyed her up and down, "Gisella, you okay?" he asked as he tried to catch his breath. She could see behind him on the floor he had his heavier weights out, the kind she couldn't lift. 

"Yeah, I just...wanted to see you," she said. He looked to the side and then back at her after a moment.

"Okay, but you don't mind me finishing up what I was doing?" he asked.

"Sure," she answered and he let her in.

The music was fuck this, fuck that. While sometimes she loved that style of music, she didn't like it that angry. Tommy obviously liked to be pissed off when he worked out, because that is all that would do to a person. She sat down at his breakfast table and saw a magazine atop a stack of several papers and other periodicals with his brother and the guy who trained him on the cover. There was a feature story about them opening a gym. She started to look in the magazine and pretend to not notice Tommy, who was doing shrugs, his head hung low, eyes staring into the huge body-length mirror he had against the wall. The movement of his traps, shoulders, arms, back and in the reflection, his chest was enough to make her feel warm all over. He did this for fifty reps, the weights about 80 pounds, his eyes losing focus and looking back at her finally through the mirror.

She didn't realize her mouth was open, staring at him gazing at her. He looked terrifying.

He put the weights down and slowly cracked his neck, his jaw jutting out for a second, his eyes closing.

"I'm sorry, Tommy. Do you want me to go?"

He turned and got a plastic carton of what used to be filled with tea, that now had water in it, and lifted it to drink. He was a little out of breath and before he took a drink he said, "No, babe. Stay here."

"Alright."

He drank for a while and then capped it. He put it down near the weight bench, and stepped over the bench, his thick thighs looking massive as he brought them up for the step.

Coming over to her he took a towel that had been on the back of a chair and started to wipe his neck and chest, "Whatchoo readin'?"

She showed him the cover of the magazine and his chest visibly sighed, "That stuff is boring. My brother insisted on getting me a subscription."

"It looks cool. I've never seen you fight," she lied.

He didn't believe her but let it slide. No matter what he did, everyone in that town knew who he was and what made him unfortunately famous. Sweet girls like Gisella were not kept in the dark. He imagined that she's probably seen the countless online videos of him beating Mad Dog's ass, Sparta, training matches at Colt's, and footage Paddy had taken when they were out at the old mill, Tommy pushing truck tires around.

"Come on. Let's get a shower," he said.

"I took one this morning," she answered him but felt her sex become wet.

"What's the harm in getting even cleaner?" he joked, with only the slightest detectible smile at the curve of his lips.


	16. Chapter 16

Gisella's back was against Tommy's broad chest, as the hot water ran over them, her hand taking his and leading it to her sex. Their fingers intertwined for a moment as she pulled him down to her entrance. Her ass was slowly beginning to grind as his hand slid down and cupped her, squeezing, and applying a hard pressure. His fingers searched her lips open, his very middle finger stroking her clit. 

She sighed at how amazing it felt.

His other hand came up and grabbed her left breast, pulling and squeezing, enjoying the feel of what he had in his hand. Her head went back to his clavicle and neck and his lips went down to her neck, kissing it. Reaching behind her with her hands, his rock hard thighs were immobile, sturdy, and frighteningly powerful. She reached his hard cock, which was now poking her in the ass, and started to rub him off.

Tommy continued his ministrations to her slick opening, which was not only wet from the shower. She picked up the pace of working his cock as he applied more and more pressure in pleasuring her body. She rolled the back of her head across his chest and when she could bear what he was doing no longer, she turned to him to face him. Dark eyes stared her down, his long bangs in his face, wet thick lips open. She took her hands and pushed his hair back and he reached up, grabbed her face and brought her lips to his, kissing her deeply.

She moaned and he finally let go after tasting her deeply, "Raise your leg," he breathed.

She raised it and placed it on the ledge of the tub. He looked down, taking hold of his cock and he put it to her entrance and pushed in, his knees bending a little to reach her.

"God...Tommy..." she sighed, his cock rooting deep into her.

"Shhhh...come on. Ride it.............yeahh."

She was grinding against him, chest and tattoos in her face, his neck thick and his traps rising from his shoulders as he steadied her.

Gisella felt herself getting closer, orgasm about to give way. "I love fucking you, Tommy," she was able to utter, "God what you do to my body...it's..."

His eyes bored into her, "Just feel me, girl. Close your eyes and feel me."

Her eyes closed and she focused on every bit of the stiffness that filled every inch of her. She felt widened and spread to her limit. Although it frightened her, she pushed even farther to him, their bellies flush with one another, and his cock swept her cervix. Pleasure and pain, he was so deep now she felt his balls under her. She opened her eyes a little to look at him and his eyes were shut tight, mouth open and water running down his face again and off his lips.

She lost it at the sight of Tommy Conlon fucking her out and she clutched him close, crying her orgasm into his chest.

"Errrgghhhh," he growled and pulled her so tightly in his arms that she felt her back crack a little. It felt good and she let him break her, his hot skin like lava taking her away.

His orgasm subsided finally after this, his chest rising and falling with ragged, deep breathing. He pulled out of her finally and he leaned against the tiles. Gisella went for him and laid her head against his chest, her arms encircling him.

 

Tommy's mind was racing. She was holding him now, her small brunette head where his neck and chest meet. His arms encircled her and rubbed her back. He could've sworn she was melting against him until he was brought back to his senses a little by her lips kissing his chest. His one hand stayed on her back and his other raised to take the back of her head and rub it.

"That felt so good, Tommy," she said, and he didn't say anything at first. His mind was still processing it all. He hadn't been held in a long time and it was making him feel things he had not felt in a long time. He was really beginning to like this little person who was clinging to him at the moment. He felt he could possibly continue doing all of this with her and on an exclusive basis. 

If only he wasn't so scared. No one was ever let in. He always kept them at bay. The reason? They all left him by one method or another. It was either abandonment or death. Brendan, mom, Manny. 

Shit. The only one who had tried to keep him was his dad, the very person he had wanted nothing to do with, and still sometimes didn't. People that needed him got the boot. People he needed abandoned him. He had to deal with the heavy shit all the time, all alone, and was left time and again somehow, some way. 

A memory cropped up in his head. Him smarting off to his brother, "You leave, you get to bury people."

Gisella shifted and pulled him off the beach in Atlantic City. She looked up at him and stared into his eyes. Her eyes were deep brown with naturally dark lashes outlining her eyes. "Hi," she said softly, bringing him back to her.

He continued to stare down at her. What did she want from me? What did I want from her? he'd think. He started to panic. For over a week he'd had been under her spell. What was happening to him? He felt trapped. God. Don't do that. Don't push her away. 

Push her away.

His mind was turning corners he hadn't had to visit in a long time.

"We haveta finish up," he said, thick with accent.

She smilled more and then kissed his clavicle and pulled herself off him. She looked for the shampoo and saw it was on a farther corner of the shower. They went about their business of showering, Tommy immediately turning his wide back to her.

His eyes closed. He couldn't do this.


	17. Chapter 17

Stephanie's party would've been more fun for Gisella had Tommy come with her, but she supposed it was not his thing and therefore him staying behind had been best. She was sitting on a couch in the living room, partygoers talking despite the loud music playing. She wanted to be anywhere but there and normally would've enjoyed herself except she wanted to be in his arms at the moment. A nice snuggle with him would've been better than trying to enjoy the kind of party she was growing too old for.

Sarah and Stephanie were the three sheets to the wind kind of drunk. Of course men were involved and they were eagerly plying Sarah with more beer as a funnel had been brought out.

Tommy would've rightfully hated this.

"Hey! Gi!" she heard the normally reserved Courtnie call to her. She turned and saw her standing with some guys over by a margarita machine, "Come here!"

Gisella reluctantly got up and went to her friend, who had with her a few local douchebags she knew Sarah and Stephanie were all to familiar with. 

"Tell Gabe here that you are really seeing Tommy Conlon," she said, her manner exposing the fact that she was drunk, too. Courtnie wasn't usually so extroverted, but she was surrounded by guys who just five years prior would've been covered in shirts with small plastic diamonds on them.

Gisella shook her head, trying to lessen the status she had with Tommy, "We're just casual friends. Yeah! He's a real good friend, is all," she raised her voice to be heard over the loud thumping music.

The person she understood to be Gabe laughed, "A real good friend with benefits, I bet!" he and his friends then laughed, Courtnie joining in.

Gisella turned red, "No...not that," she lied. 

"She's not going to tell us anything," Courtnie said.

"What is there to tell?" Gisella asked, looking around at the guys.

"Like, what Sarah said. She said you told her he was really good," Courtnie was not letting up.

"Sounds like you and Conlon are an item," Gabe said, smirking.

"Hey isn't he a little whack in the head? I mean hell, that time in prison really added to what was already really messed up," another guy chimed in.

Gisella rolled her eyes, "Look, he's not 'whack'. He's just deep," she retorted, immediately feeling silly.

"Deep! How deep does he go, honey?" Gabe cracked.

Everyone started laughing. One guy said, "We're just messing with you," and another said, "Better not talk shit about Conlon, bro...he'd probably beat the shit out of us all. Have you seen the fucking traps on that guy?"

Gisella left the conversation and turned and made her way to where Sarah and Stephanie were. She was going to tell them she was leaving but they were too drunk to have even registered. She didn't bother with it and made a left for the front door. Nice party, Stephanie. Too bad it wasn't her cup of tea anymore.

 

Tommy was sitting in his bed, white 'wife beater' and black track pants on. He was reading an email on his laptop about training Hector Rivas again for another matchup with the guy who beat him at Sparta, Ricky Coronado. Coronado was a mean motherfucker, just like Tommy had been. Rivas was not mean enough, he felt, in the end, and he aimed to change that. Colt had also sent him information on Coronado's perceived weaknesses. Tommy was going to get Hector in line to seek out and take advantage of those weaknesses. It was going to be like training Brendan to beat himself, with the exception of the Tommy-like fighter being the last winner of Sparta. He had to basically tear down his own fighting style, his own brand of anger, which he saw a lot of in Coronado, who had been the victim of the worst neighborhoods in East Los Angeles. He had seen his older brother get gunned down in a drug deal gone wrong and he was one angry son of a bitch to deal with. Rivas would learn to expose the weakness or have to accept defeat again.

He was about to take down a few quick notes on a steno pad and then turn in for the night when he heard a knock at his front door. He looked over at the clock, bleary eyed, and saw that it was nearly 1 am.

He didn't feel like dealing with anyone right now and was actually going to try and sleep better for once, versus running his ass off down to the river. Tommy sighed and got up, walking heavy from the lack of sleep. 

When he opened the door he saw it was Gisella, who was wearing a sweater and leggings, no shoes. He normally loved her little red toenails but the first thought in his head was why does she have to be over now, right at this moment, when he was so tired. 

"Hey, Tommy," she smiled and walked past him into his apartment, "Ooh, it's cold in here."

Tommy liked it cooler. Sixty-eight degrees was perfect for him as he ran hot. Perfect for just about everything, especially sleeping.

"It's kind of late," he said, his face relaying a little bit of annoyance.

Gisella nodded, "Yeah, sorry. I just wanted to see you. I had enough of that party I had been invited to." She looked like she was picking up on his irritation but she didn't let it distract her, either.

"I'm getting ready to go to bed here, Gisella."

"Okay...you weren't running tonight?"

"No. Too tired."

She sat down on his couch. Apparently she was thinking she'd stay a little. He was going to have to disappoint her.

"Yeah, I am a little, too."

Tommy was still standing and wondering if she was assuming they'd just sleep together. He needed rest and he knew he wouldn't sleep good with her body next to him in bed. Just this one night he needed to take advantage of his bed, as tomorrow he'd have to be up and dealing with meeting with Colt down at the gym.

"Gisella, sorry I gotta do this, but I really need to get to bed," he shook his head, his brows raised in concern, trying to get her to understand she needed to go.

She looked around and then back at him. Something had been nagging at her and she wasn't going to be able to leave it be for the night. Despite the fact that the party had been no place Tommy had needed to go, she had yet to have him go anywhere outside the apartment with her. Did he want to just keep hanging out at either her place or his only? Was their relationship, if was even to be considered one, supposed to just be a short stint behind closed doors?

"Tommy, where do we stand?" she finally asked.

His eyes narrowed. She had to pull this shit now. Her timing was impeccable since just yesterday he'd been so confused and now, instead of having more time to think it over, he was being confronted. He wanted to just grab some fucking sleep. Later on, Gisella, later on this would've been better talked about.

Instead she was just waiting for him to answer.

Tommy definitely didn't feel like delving into this now, "Gisella, really, now's not a good time."

As he said he he knew it sounded insensitive and not how he needed to respond, but it was too late. He saw her face immediately take on a concerned look.

"Tommy, I know it's only been a little over a week, and I'm not trying to push anything on you. I just was curious."

She stood up and walked over to him, wanting him to answer.

Gisella took in his powerful build and admired how much bigger than he was than her. She really liked this guy and by the way he had made love to her this week, she knew this wasn't some flash in the pan casual sex situation. His eyes always confirmed that.

"Gisella, what do you expect me to say? I like what we do. Right now I like to fuck you...plain and simple." There, he thought.

She didn't want to hear it spoken about so cheaply. 'Plain and simple'. What was that?

"So, I'm...just a good lay?"

Tommy shook his head. Unbelievable. Don't do this now.

"Look. It's 1 in the fucking morning. I don't feel like sitting up talking about this right now. You've caught me at a bad time..."

"Tommy, you don't have to be so defensive. It was just a question."

"It's was a loaded question," he said and turned to walk back to his bedroom.

"Wait a second," she followed him, "It's not loaded. It's just a question, Tommy."

He was getting pissed. He liked her, truly did, but was afraid of himself and afraid of her. He didn't want to be pushed and he didn't totally trust himself as relationship material. He was fucking broken, just like everyone in town, his brother, his doctor when he was in prison, and Pilar had surmised. Some of them wanted to help him, while others...this town...just saw him as a train wreck.

At this moment, Gisella represented the town. He wanted to hurt her like he hurt.

He turned on her coming back toward her, his shitty attitude rearing it's ugly head like it had on Brendan on the beach, "Look, Gisella. It's been great. I love dagging the shit out of you, but fuck...what do you want from me?" he asked, his neck bent to the side, his stance challenging. He could see her eyes widen and her face slowly turn to anger. "You need to know that I am too damn busy for this...I can't play boyfriend to you. I have too much shit on my goddamned plate."

"Damn, Tommy. You don't hold anything back, do you? And here I thought you liked me. More than you liked the skanks who used to come over here!" she could serve it back just as well as he did.

He smirked and then shook once in a condescending laugh to himself, "Skanks. Listen, go back to your apartment, do whatever it is you do and stop being so hung up on me."

Gisella couldn't believe this. Where was this all coming from? They had been together less than twenty four hours ago, two of his body parts buried in her at once and now he was being...Tommy Conlon. She went for broke, "You know, I didn't buy all the crap people said about you. I saw something more than an angry guy who had a fucked up past. I saw a person who just needed someone to be there for him and allowed him to be himself. Well if being a dickhead is what you prefer to be, then be that way. But don't expect anyone to get to know you!"

"I don't need you to know me," his eyes were dead serious, his chest rising and falling steadily.

"Fine. Thanks for everything. Like I said, you're turning out to be as much an asshole as everyone had warned. Congratulations, Tommy Conlon. Thank you for pulling me in as another conquest."

She turned on her heel and went to leave and he said to her, "How anyone could act like I was being deceitful and they were being innocently led is beyond me. Last time I checked you let me fuck you raw each and every time, Gisella. You were just as willing and ready as any other woman who has come across my doorstep."

She turned her head and looked at him, her face red hot, "Go fuck yourself," she said, her heart racing, and the she turned and left.


	18. Chapter 18

"Wow. I can and can't believe he did that," Sarah said to Gisella as they were eating at a café near the nicer part of downtown two days later. Gisella had hated to admit it but she had cried all that night and into the next day because she really felt something beginning to emerge between her and Tommy. She guessed she had been wrong, "You got dazzled by that D, girl. I know the feeling," Sarah had continued in only the way Sarah can.

"I know. You guys all warned me. He's not right and I continued on," she said, fooling with the lettuce in her salad. She found another crouton and put it in her mouth. Carbs were going to be her best friend for a while.

"Yeah. I get it though. That man's body looks like it needed to be climbed like a jungle gym," she joked. Gisella immediately looked back down at her salad and started to cry.

"Hey," Sarah continued, "I'm sorry...it's going to be okay, girl." A waitress walked up and felt sorry for Gisella and put her hand on her shoulder, "You just gotta forget that man, sweetie." Gisella and Sarah looked up, nodding. Women just knew when their kind were hurting over a man. It was a crying fit type of upset that they all knew. Gisella of course, felt silly. She had only been sleeping with him off and on for a little over a week, but she had held a candle for him for over a year. He had looked at her a few times with something in his eyes that made her believe this was no casual affair. She remembered him watching her get dressed as he lay in her bed, his arms behind his head. He looked like he truly thought she was beautiful and not just a piece of casual fling. His eyes had studied her and at one point when she jumped up and down to pull up her tight leggings a small smile cracked. It wasn't because he thought she looked funny but rather he thought she was adorable. 

God how he looked naked in her sheets. His ridiculously large biceps, full chest, the rippled plain of his stomach, and one thick muscular thigh bent at an angle and poking out of her sheets. He was a beast, and yet there he was, gazing at her, a slight curve under the sheets where his cock lay. Minutes later when he got out of bed and she was in the bathroom finding a hair tie he came up behind her, track pants on and slung low with a tattoo halfway exposed on his lower stomach. He looked at her in the mirror, his hands going around her waist. He smelled her hair and then kissed her neck, saying nothing but his eyes looking at her like she was a bunny to his wolf.

That was all over now. She wasn't going to bother him anymore. She'd hold her head up, move out like she planned in three months, and continue on. A better man was in her future anyways, she figured. One who would actually want to be with her and not just screw her blind.

God. She wanted to cry even more.

 

A month later.

Tommy was down by the abandoned furnace that was once a part of one of the biggest steel mills in the city. All sorts of huge machine parts and tires were in a lot and if one could find a break in the fence, they could go and work out with these items, if they had a nice thick pair of gloves. Paddy always taught him to use his body and things found around him to use as tools to train. Those who depended only on the gym were just bodybuilders or playing around. He found a semi truck tire, lifted it up and grunted as he pushed it over and then ran around it to lift it again, and continue the process all over. The sledgehammer he had in his bag would also help him beat the hell out of another tire a few feet away.

His beanie was low, barely letting anyone see his eyes but any local law enforcement who didn't want him out there would immediately know who he was. The anger he exuded, and how he carried his powerful frame along with the faded clothing told them he wasn't just some half-ass wannabe fighter who'd sometimes sneak in. The one guard at the place would turn the other cheek if he saw him.

Tommy was beginning to heat up quick, his back and chest feeling hot. It was forty degrees and yet he was about to burn up. He took his outer hoodie off and caught a whiff of her somehow. He hadn't washed this particular sweatshirt and he recalled that she had put it on once, her legs coming out of the bottom driving him crazy along with her panties and red toenails.

He was angry because he was allowing that to enter his mind. Leave her alone. Focus on what you were doing, Marine.

He had seen her in the hall after their fight and she wouldn't look at him. It was understandable after the things he said to her. If only he had been better at telling her his mind was taking him to places that confused him about her. He had been alone for so long, didn't need NOBODY, but he was feeling "some kinda way" about her as he'd hear the guys in the gym say about the girls they were seeing. 

He had to admit, had Gisella appeared in the lot he was in he would've taken her then and there among the dead grass and weeds. 

"God, baby," he breathed thinking of her. Why was he denying himself? His mom would've wanted him to find a woman and be a good Irish Catholic boy and have babies with her. Lots and lots of babies. 

Too damaged to even do that stuff. Wife. Kids. House. Pets. He wasn't Brendan and never would be. That was Brendan's kind of life. Tommy was the drifter and needed to remain true to himself, and yet he thought about being alone forever and it was too close to his dad's life. He was taking after the parent he still loathed. The irony was fucking perfect.

He went over to the sledgehammer and picked it up, allowing his anger to consume him. He grunted loudly as he swung down, the tire showing signs of tearing finally after months of beating on it. He was going to tear through that goddamned sidewalls. He kept going, his biceps and forearms on fire, but this needed to be done. The beating continued for several minutes until he broke the thing and threw the hammer on the ground, with a boom.

Looking at the tire, his chest heaving he felt the anger in his blood stream slowly but surely subside. He looked up and over at the treeline leading back to the furnace. Men who had worked that mill for years and had to deal with their own problems and heartache. Those men had it harder in many ways but they still dealt with it. Men who went to war and either didn't come back or came back broken. He was fucking selfish. 

He couldn't get away from thoughts of her and the feeling that if he left her alone he'd lose her to someone else. The thought of that made him get a lump in his throat, right there where he kept his mom's and Manny's memories at.


	19. Chapter 19

Gisella was cleaning her apartment. It had been a while and she had noticed dust was accumulating on some of the boxes she had off to the side that was for her cupcake business. She was in the pit of depression and when she had seen that she was determined to clean the whole place from top to bottom. 

She was listening to her music a little more loudly than she normally does and didn't hear the knocking at the door at first. She had to go get a bunch of paper towels from the table near her foyer when she heard it. Mrs. Locato had told her she had one of those attachments one could use to clean the corners of walls near the ceiling. She had asked the woman about it yesterday when she saw what looked like cobwebs way up in the corner of her living room. Mrs. Locato was going to eventually find it and bring it to her and she knew the woman always took a few days to locate something and cart herself up the stairs.

"Thanks, how did you guess I was cleaning now?" Gisella opened the door without looking out the peephole, something she had been lax in doing once she relaxed about the never-returning Jason. There before her was Tommy Conlon in a gray long-sleeved thermal, chain around his neck with a small crucifix on it that he'd sometimes wear, hands in his jeans, looking at her with bee-stung thick lips and his smaller almost childlike eyes. He had his brown hair combed in that way he always wore it, partially in his face, his bangs she always assumed were a way to hide himself more. Her eyes went to his chest and she could make out that for once he may have been a little cold.

She didn't know what to say and knew she didn't want to rush to tell him off. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd been hoping this moment would happen for quite some time. 

He breathed deep and then nodded his head and looked down the stairs and then back at her. His eyes narrowed and then widened, his brows falling in a concerned manner. That told her he was struggling with something.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Gisella looked at him for a moment. She felt victory and yet she felt very sad...for him. 

He was standing at kind of an angle, like he was braced for her to tell him off. Although he was several inches taller than her, his head was down but his eyes looked up at her.

She nodded and then crossed her arms and leaned against the door jamb, "I um, I accept," she answered. She was so close to automatically apologizing but then again he had been the jerk. She then started to wonder if he needed something and that is why he was there. Maybe he knew she was going to move out in two months, to the complete opposite side of town.

"I can go," he said and then went to turn.

"No, Tommy. Stay," she said to stop him.

He turned around and looked at her.

"Come in, I mean."

 

Tommy entered her apartment and saw that she had a hamper with clothes in them, cleaning products out, a vacuum cleaner, and some bleach.

"I can come back later, you're busy," he said.

"No, it's okay. I needed to take a break."

They sat down and his eyes made him look weary. She was about to talk and then he spoke, "I'm a hard guy to get to know, Gisella. I am not used to the company of anyone and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm great when you and I are doing...you know..." 

She nodded, how she missed that.

"...stuff...but I don't know how to operate on the relationship level. I haven't had to in many years. The last serious relationship I had was before I was deployed to Afghanistan years ago."

She continued to nod slowly and understand.

"So when someone like you comes around it's in my nature to push you away. I don't...this is going to sound so fucking stupid...but I don't know how to handle myself with someone getting as close as you were doing."

"I understand, Tommy."

"I really like you, Gisella. That I can say."

His eyes were serious and he didn't look away when they stared at each other a little longer. She looked down at her pajama bottoms, which she had still been in. They had little unicorns on them and she would've been upset a month ago had he seen her in them. Now that was of little concern when a man who was experiencing a breakthrough was sitting on her couch, looking like he did, telling her he 'really liked' her. That was substantial in his world.

"Tommy, if you want to just let things fall into place, I am okay with that. I had pushed you into a corner and I gotta admit, it was too soon," she was shaking her head, believing herself to have definitely erred.

"Please be patient with me. I promise you I have no intention of wasting your time," he told her.

Gisella looked up at him and nodded. She truly believed him. Tommy may have been a hard case but he wasn't a liar, this she was sure of. It would've been dishonorable for him to say such a thing and not mean it. He had demons to deal with and yet she knew in some of the moments they had shared together...an image from a month ago came to mind of her laying on her stomach and him kissing down her back...that he was going to be alright.

"I know you don't. I know it, Tommy."


	20. Chapter 20

"Miss Allen, I have that tool you needed," Mrs. Locato knocked obnoxiously at the door, her nasally voice louder than it needed to be on a lazy day such as it was.

She was about to knock some more when Gisella's door opened and there was Tommy Conlon, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, neck, chest, stomach and upper arms, in nothing but a towel.

"What? Oh, I didn't..." Mrs. Locato was stunned, "...um, this is for Gisella," she said, handing him the long wand with the fuzzy attachment for cleaning high places. She was looking around behind him, then hearing the music caught immediately what was going on. He wasn't showering, he was covered in post-coital sweat.

"Thanks, I think I have the tool she needs, Mrs. Locato, but I'll give this to her as well," he relished saying and she looked down, making out the bulge of his flaccid sex under the towel.

She didn't get it and was about to say something else when he shut the door in her face.

 

He returned to Gisella's bedroom, where she was getting ready to tie the belt of a short silk kimono she had slipped on. She was thinking she'd need to appear at the door to show Mrs. Locato she was inside the apartment. She was sopping wet, her hair now up in a pony tail. Tommy grinned, "Take that back off, sweetie," and he threw the item he got from Mrs. Locato onto a bench in the room.

"I can't believe you answered the door like that, Tommy!" Gisella looked at him wide-eyed, "I thought you were going to at least put on the clothes you left on the floor," she wanted to laugh and then realized Mrs. Locato was going to need a cold shower after seeing his body.

"Come here," he curled his finger at her and dropped the towel. She smiled seductively and walked to him. Their lips came together and his right hand pulled the loosely-tied belt undone. Her slick body, with her full breasts and pretty little shaved sex exposed, he finally stopped kissing her to enjoy the view and say, "She's going to have to deal with the fact that her low-life wrong-side-of-the-tracks no-good MMA-fighting tenant is putting it to her sweet, morally-safe, good girl on the second floor."

Gisella laughed and her sex started to throb again. They clasped hands, fingers intertwining and they fell back onto the bed. Gisella worked herself out from under him and he rolled over onto his back, her hands going onto his chest, "Ooh, you think you're gonna pin me?" he joked, his eyes going wide for a moment in sarcasm and then returning to their normal size, a grin on his face, "Yes, I'm going to tap you out," she joked, looking down at him. His nostrils flared as he looked down her chest and at her slit resting against his growing cock.

"That's okay. I've already tapped you again and again...what's a little give and take, baby," he said again, that rarely-seen Conlon smile coming back. It was a weird smile he had, very hot but so rarely seen it amused her. It was very cheshire cat in nature.

He knew what she wanted and took his cock in hand and let her lower herself onto it. She cried out and started to grind on him, her head going back, her body slanting backwards, and her hands going to his lower legs. His hands landed on her thighs and he loved the view. He was so turned on he hurt, he ached, and he had to think of something to keep from loading into her too soon. If there was one thing he was going to control it was cumming too soon and making her wait to orgasm.

Gisella was so far gone after several minutes of grinding down on him that she started talking, the naughtiest shit he's heard in a long time coming out of her lips. He was stunned and now couldn't hold back very well, "Gisella...wait...wait a sec..." he tried to say and she kept going. He was going to explode if she didn't slow down and stop talking so filthy.

"...My God, Tommy...my pussy...you're so big and I'm so wet...I'm going to squirt again, I just now it...I'm going to...oh my God...my little kitty..."

"Fucking hell, girl," he couldn't hold off and before he felt her twitching his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he seethed through gritted teeth, "Shiiiiit...I'm sorry...fuck, I'm so sorry."

She wasn't listening and still grinding and just as he was about to come down from his high her orgasm thankfully came forth. He watched her go taut, her lips swallowing him and smashing his groin. It was incredible to watch her lose it.

"...damn, daddy..." she moaned.

Tommy's eyes shot open wide and he mouthed 'Oh. My. God' but she didn't see it.

After twenty more seconds she finally sat forward only to fall off him and onto the bed in a heap. Two more minutes and she was able to say, "I'm so glad you came over."

He nodded his head, looking up at her ceiling fan as it cycled and cycled, "Yeah."


	21. Chapter 21

Gisella was a light sleeper and usually grew tired of laying on one side really quickly. While she loved the predicament she currently found herself in, she needed to move a little bit and possibly turn over. She started trying to squirm out from under the massive left arm of a man with what she assumed was ten percent body fat and inch her way out from under him. Tommy wasn't instinctively used to sleeping with anyone, either, so the stereotypical attempt one would see in a movie at grabbing ahold off her didn't occur. He moaned and shifted, her body almost rolling back into him. She got frustrated and tried to reach the edge of the bed closest to her to pull herself with.

Tommy woke and mumbled through his grogginess, "Whah are you tryin' to do?" She made a little grunt and answered, "I need to get onto my other side and I'm having issues."

He winced and then slowly got up to sit, "Fuck," he said and she made out the shadow of him trying to rub his shoulder. Gisella felt bad, "I'm sorry for waking you, Tommy."

"It's alright," he said and then against the moonlight of her curtains she saw the silhouette of his muscular body. It was an incredible image. "I blew my rotator cuff the other day and I've been nursin' the fucking thing with over the counters."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she empathized rolling over onto the side she desired. He never let on while they were having sex that there had been a problem. "Do you need me to massage something into it?"

Tommy rounded the bed on his way to her bathroom, his solid body making the wooden floors creak as he walked, "Naw, sweetie," he continued into her bathroom.

"Do you need any help?" she called out, taking the moment to sniff the pillow he had been laying on. She loved his pheromones. He had a clean yet musky smell, like he used some kind of cleanser with an outside theme to it, something named Wilderness, or Canyon she bet.

"Unless yoo wanna hold this for me, I can manage," he said with his thick Pittsburghese, a loud steady stream hitting the water in her toilet.

She shook her head. He had certainly come around and was now joking with her. She loved it but wondered how long it would last. The thought had occurred to her that this would be a constant work in progress. She had hoped he wasn't secretly bipolar. Her aunt had been bipolar, and while it was certainly manageable, she was still concerned. 

Take it as it comes, Gisella, she thought to herself.

Tommy didn't flush by habit when he simply peed in his apartment and he forgot to do the same there. He walked back to the bed, Gisella noticing, "I hope you learn to flush the toilet one day," she ribbed him.

"Oh shit," he turned on his heel and went back and hit the silver button on the back of the toilet. The sound was louder than it needed to be and she thought maybe that had a bad idea.

He came back to the bed and got in, sliding down the mattress, his head going back on her lavender colored pillows. Gisella scooted up and leaned in and kissed him on the lips and then laid back down, her hand going to his chest. He brought his hand up and covered hers. She loved Tommy's hands, which were strongly made just like the rest of him. She felt his heart beating and in a corny moment of thought, wondered if there was room in there for her. 

He was on his back, and she noticed he was, for the most part, a back sleeper. They had spent the night once before, a month ago, and he had been a solid sleeper. The room was probably too bright for him, which was something she had liked as she lived alone. She still checked her closet and under her bed for ghosts out of habit. That was something she'd never reveal to him.

The moonlight came through the curtains and she just gazed at his profile. His bangs were pushed away from their usual position on his forehead. The sweat had taken care of that hours earlier. His brow was slightly furrowed as he dozed back off and she noticed his nose had the most perfect slope she had ever seen. It was flawless. She hated her nose, considered it a little too big for her taste. She looked at his lips. Those things were amazing. Thick, full, almost too puffy for a guy, and yet it didn't bother her in the least. They felt good to kiss and when he put them to her body they could overtake her.

She wished she could disturb him again. She wanted to hear his voice. It was a deep thuggish type voice. He was definitely from the working class of Pittsburgh. Tacoma didn't take that away from him.

Gisella could tell he wasn't totally asleep yet so she shifted and moved her way under the sheets. 

She heard him say, "What?..." and then he didn't question any further when her mouth went to his cock. She heard an intake of breath and while she could see too well under the sheets, she felt his hands tighten into fists for a second.

He shifted his ass into the bed a little to reposition himself and halfway out of desire slowly taking control. She wet her lips even more for a second and took the shaft in her hand, and then licked the entire length. His chest started to rise and fall and his hands found their way to her hair, fingers going into the thick tresses. She was going to give him the most amazing blow job she could ever muster up. This was going to be it, all out, she thought. He would be putty in her hands. 

Mouth.

Tommy was breathing hard, his hips moving softly. She lifted her head more as his cock grew and he pulled the sheet away. She could see him looking down at her, knowing good and well he was loving watching her do this to him. She tried to go deeper but at one point almost gagged on it. Not doing that, she thought, so she kept up her prior effort. Her left hand ran up his abs and to his chest where she dug her nails in. He seethed and his breath hitched, which sounded really good. She dug in again and she heard an exchange of air deep in his throat. It sounded like he was pissed, and she knew he was just getting more and more turned on. 

She kept this up for several more minutes until she could tell by the way Tommy was breathing that he was going to cum. His breath kept picking up more and more, his hands had taken her hair and pulled it off to the side, the whole lot in one fist.

"Yeah...fucking keep that...up...." he said and then she felt him bear down, and his cock started jetting into her mouth.

"OH GOD...fuhh..." he continued, growling deeply. The warm flood filled her mouth and although she had never swallowed before she felt like if she was ever going to start now would be the time. She took it down and it tasted, different. It wasn't horrible in the least and it actually made her feel strangely closer to him. 

Tommy had finished cumming and his breathing slowed. She slid back up in the bed and rolled over on the side that she was originally trying to turn from and smiled.

She felt the body of Tommy roll into a spoon position behind her, back into his original position, with his arm around her, moving her hair out of his face and fade into sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

Gisella woke the next morning to find Tommy gone and a note tacked to her TV, "Running, will be back by breakfast, T."

She looked at the clock and it was 7 am. She had no idea how long he'd been gone but reasoned it had probably been over an hour. His handwriting was very male: borderline hard to read with a half attempt at cursive. His a's looked like tiny capital versions of an A. It was almost cute but all over the place. Writing was definitely something he didn't do all the time.

Thinking of both the best thing she could whip up and yet be as low fat as she could for Tommy, she went to the kitchen to make an egg white omelet for him. Thinking of what little she remembered of carbs, proteins, and fats, she was able to pull something together with tomatoes, low fat taco cheese she had, crumbled vegan sausage that she thought she'd never use, and bell pepper. Thank God she had gone to the store, but she was going to have to go back as those ingredients were part of a quiche she was going to make later. Her cooking talents were so-so but enough to get by. As far as baking, totally a different thing. Name a pie, name a cake, name a cupcake, she could whip it up. But dinners, breakfasts to impress a man...she wasn't so good.

Her sweet tooth had gotten to her. Years ago she was forty pounds overweight but had lost it with a personal trainer named Karen. None of it had been gained back, because Gisella still went to a women's gym in the fancier part of town. Karen had moved but taught her everything she needed to keep herself from going crazy with food and sitting around. She remembered when Jason had called her a fat ass once. His nagging was what made her lose weight. She realizes she should've immediately lost him and then got in shape for herself.

She shook her head at the memory of that asshole as she started pulling egg whites in a carton out of the fridge. She examined the carton and shrugged her shoulders, doubting Tommy would protest about them being ready-made. 

She started thinking about the photo album she showed Tommy a while back. There had been two photos of her heavier in there and hoped he hadn't been bothered by them. It was silly. Men should love women for who they were, but she knew better. She hated to sound like Sarah, but most of the time, men sucked. Her memory went back to that day that she showed him the pictures and he didn't even linger on those two pictures. She had been relieved.

Gisella couldn't imagine Tommy was an insensitive person. Although he was an American male, he didn't seem to be concerned by the typical things men his age wanted; money, cars, women...wait. She had recalled all the women he had over before they started, well, screwing. Yet something told her he just lived his life and went through the motions. Run, sleep, shower, sex, work out.

She needed to stop ruminating on what Tommy may or may not be and after she got all the ingredients together on a chopping board, she went and put her music on. Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" came on. Good choice to do just about anything to. Until the words started making her think about Tommy and the little patch of trouble they had a month ago. Sigh. 

 

Breakfast had been ready for thirty minutes when Tommy came through the door, looking so thug he probably scared some of the hardened drug pushers in the North Side of the 'Burgh. His eyes always looked like he had just been pissed off for the last time and needed everyone to leave him the hell alone. They always seem to be in a perpetual glare unless he was happy, and then they were softer. He took his beanie off and then pulled off his fingerless gloves, his body moving side to side for a faint second when another song came on. He didn't realize he did it but Gisella loved it. Tommy had danced for a quick second. 

He looked over at her and a small smile appeared, "You made me somethin'?" he saw her bringing the plates over to the table.

"Yes, you need to eat after a run. What do you normally eat?" she asked him, laying the omelets down. She had foregone the usual toast and made black coffee for him. She had seen him guzzling that once.

"Egg whites...just like that, spinach in them. Steel cut oats sometimes. Then a protein shake. Then eat two hours later if I am training."

She nodded. She had heard of what Karen's husband ate when he was competing as a bodybuilder. Spinach, egg whites, fish, chicken, broccoli, maybe some oatmeal, always a protein shake, repeat.

Tommy unzipped his hoodie and put his arms behind him to pull it off, almost like a little boy. His chest expanded when he did that and it made Gisella weak. He had to pull a little more because of his biceps. He was just wearing a Steelers shirt underneath and it looked twenty years old. Pittsburgh weather was being weird lately. Hot, cold, cold, warmer, cold, cold, cold. 

They sat down to eat and Tommy took a bite. Didn't compliment her but dug in like he was really hungry. He just said, "Thanks for this."

"Let me ask you something, about MMA and all that stuff."

Tommy's face looked a little moody when she said that and then wondered if he didn't want to talk about work. She continued when he didn't protest.

"When you fight, do you ever worry about stuff like brain damage or irreversible damage?"

Tommy chuckled as he looked down to get more omelet with his fork, "You sayin' I'm cracked in the head?"

"Oh, no...not that. I just have always wondered. All jobs have their downsides. I just wondered about that."

"Most fighters only stay in it for a few years. It's a lot on the body. Your professionals, like the guys at Sparta and shit like that, they're in it max...give or take...two, maybe three years. It's basically where you go in three major bouts and that's it. You better fuckin' win a huge pot of cash or become a trainer."

"So that's why you did that...become a trainer?" she asked, innocently interested in what he did. She had the real deal, Tommy Conlon there in front of her, eating at her table, when he easily could be living in a high rise in New York City, talking to a swimsuit model. She wanted to know what he really thought about it all. She had never followed MMA, UFC, or any of those fighting sports but she knew enough to ask what she figured was a relevant question.

"Yeah. I needed a job," he said and then put more food in his mouth. She noticed he ate like a true man. No prissy polite bites.

"You're gonna choke," she laughed.

"You criticizin' my eating skills?" he joked back.

"Yes. You're like my brother with nachos."

 

After breakfast Tommy said he had to get back to his place and get ready for the gym. She couldn't believe he was going to the gym, when he had just ran for almost two hours. "It's Saturday, Tommy. Don't you want to go to a park...see a movie?" Tommy stopped for a second like he was thinking it over and then shook his head, "Considerin' I get about twenty guys coming up to me every time I go out anywhere, not really." Gisella watched him pick up his stuff and was about to say something but remembered she was letting this go slow. If she protested he'd think she was trying to fit him into a regular guy puzzle. Then again, did she really want a guy who never wanted to go anywhere if it wasn't a gym?

"Okay," is all she said.

He picked up on how she said that and came over to her, sighing, looking to the side at first, and putting his hands behind her neck. He then looked at her, his head to the side, "Babe, slowly. I know I'm difficult. I'm not going to just want to hang out at Colt's or down by the old mill yards. I promise you. I just have to crawl out of some of my old ways."

She nodded, "I get it Tommy. I just want to be out with you and have fun, is all. Throw a Frisbee at a dog or something. Catch butterflies."

Tommy stared at her and then a slow smile grew on her lips and then she started laughing. Finally Tommy's face lit up and he shook his head, "Girl, I was gonna say."


	23. Chapter 23

"You did WHAT?" Sarah asked, wide-eyed.

Gisella smiled from across the table at their favorite café. "Yep. It cost about $400 but I am going to blow him away tonight."

"You really surprise me," Sarah shook her head, smiling, "And not only that, you're going to get pregnant if you keep this up."

"Sarah, I'm on the pill!"

"Yeah but Conlon probably has some kind of super sperm or something! Plus, you guys are constantly fucking," she laughed some more.

"Yes we are, aren't we?" they both laughed together.

Sarah looked off to the side and then leaned in, "So, does he jet a lot?"

"Sarah! Gross! You always ask the most insanely gross stuff!"

They continued talking about Tommy, acting goofy, Gisella feeling like a million bucks after having had Tommy take her every day that week. She had gone online and used part of her tax return refund to buy a slim ladies trench coat, stiletto's, and the most expensive bra and panties she could find on a mainstream lingerie site. She had smoky eye makeup, a new perfume, and a lotion to make her skin have that perfect healthy glow. It was probably going overboard but she wanted to see him slowly go insane. It was going to be that night that she got ready, told him to come over, and then she'd surprise him. 

"Hey, here's another crazy question, but I gotta ask," Sarah continued when they got outside and into Gisella's Jeep.

"Oh, God. Go on," Gisella answered, head shaking.

"Have you ever had him wear those hand wraps that MMA guys wear, black shorts, and a mouth guard? Because, sister, if you haven't you're not using him as good as I would."

Gisella started the vehicle up and despite Sarah trying to be partially funny and partially crude, she remembered the online video she saw of Tommy the beast in the cage. It was the fight with his older brother. Tommy had either broken or torn something in his arm, she couldn't finish much more of the video, but he still came at his brother with full force after being injured. For a second the viewer could see a shift in Brendan's eyes that went from 'Tommy, are you okay?' to 'Oh shit!' 

Tommy looked unbelievable. It was to the point where she had to shake out of it after seeing the footage. How one man could be so hard and yet so soft, was amazing.

Gisella was lost in thought and Sarah was looking at her about to laugh, "You know what, you need to get home to him and get that outfit on. You're not even in this conversation anymore, girl." 

Tommy was coming out of the grocery store, his food for the next week in his cart. It was drizzling and all he could think about was getting inside, getting warm, and seeing her. Tommy was a mess and while it scared him it thrilled him. He passed the aisle in the store that had all the condoms and warming gels. His mind immediately ran to her and how slick, snug, and warm she was. He was happy they didn't need any of that stuff. He twitched a little thinking of how the inside of her felt, the folds of her flesh and the look her little pearl took on when he rubbed it. Her body was very responsive to his touch and everything was wildly reactive. Her breasts, her sex, the goosebumps on her skin. 

He walked to his vehicle and got in, his eyes closing, thinking of her. The sex was never dull. To look at her one would think she'd be more innocent but she lived up to the good girl in the streets, bad girl in the sheets phrase. He put his key in the ignition, accidentally twisting it too hard, making his starter grind. 

As he drove his dick got hard thinking of some of the positions he had seen her in that past week. How that ass looked when she laid over the pillows they piled on her bed. Fucking her from behind had been so hot. He pumped her mercilessly and came so hard he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. 

Tonight, she was gonna get it, he thought, his eyes zeroing on the road, fist gripping the steering wheel hard. 

Gisella was ready. She had showered, had her hair blown out later that day by a salon, and now it was in a ponytail high towards the back of her head. She had made sure her skin looked supple and glowing, applying the new lotion she got to her body after the shower. She even had her makeup done to the nines, smoky eye, nude lipstick, slight bronzer. 

She stood before the full length mirror in the bra, panties, stilettos, and trench. She looked so sexy that she almost started to fear Tommy calling her and saying he had a flat tire. It crucial that he see her like this and her mind started thinking of ways this moment could be sabotaged. 

He texted her and asked her what she was doing. 

Gisella was about to say "Waiting for you" but something even better came to mind. She clicked the option to turn the camera on her phone around and she took a photo of her fingers going into the pretty panties she bought. It was a close up that only showed her wrist, hand, lower stomach, and the top of the panties. 

She clicked send, put the phone down, and walked away. 

For the next several minutes her phone buzzed about five times. She got the trench on, which was a nice slim coat that she knew she'd wear from then on to make him go nuts. She'd trigger him when they were out maybe ice-skating, she laughed. 

She turned off enough lights to offset the candles she had used once before, one of the first times they had sex. Everything was perfect. 

The phone buzzed with another text and she hurried to it, afraid for a second her hopes would be dashed and some flat tire would be the subject of his text. She smiled when she saw it was him responding to the photo. 

TOMMY: Baby, I almost ran off the rode 

TOMMY: Rome 

TOMMY: Fuck! Road 

TOMMY: Baby, u realize I'm going to smash that body. Know that. 

TOMMY: God damn. 

Then finally... 

TOMMY: Almost there. Pick a safe word. 

Her heart palpitated. Gisella heard tires squeal for a second and knew good and well that was Tommy's car turning the corner two houses down. 

Pick a safe word, girl, she thought to herself. You've set Tommy Conlon off.


	24. Chapter 24

It felt like it took thirty minutes for Tommy to come from his vehicle to Gisella's front door. 

She had heard his vehicle go around the corner two blocks down, which made everyone's tires sound like they were skidding due to the gradient of the new asphalt. It would only take seconds for him to take that corner, go down their street and park out on side next to the neighboring house. She had heard his door slam and then he'd be up the sidewalk, steps, through the front door and on her within minutes. The butterflies in her stomach and the pulsations of her excitement were almost too much to bear. She ran back to her room quickly to look at herself in the full length mirror. 

Gisella felt incredibly sexy when she unwrapped the trench coat. Her body looked beautiful and the bra and panties were gorgeous with her long legs and the heels. She heard a knock at the door and quickly re-wrapped her trench coat, which for a second she prayed didn't look cheesy to him, and had the presence of mind to move the mirror so it faced the bed. With her, the candles, and the mirror she had created some kind of Sex Pad. She smiled and then ran to the door.

She said through the door, "Who is it?" in case the off chance it had been someone else. It would've been just her luck that someone other than Tommy was knocking.

"It's the big bad wolf, little girl," she heard Tommy's voice, "Come to eat you."

Gisella's eyes went wide and was immediately happy no neighbors were really around at the moment to hear that. Of course the innuendo of it was thick. 

She readied herself and slowly opened the door. Tommy was standing in the hallway, wearing a black long sleeve thermal, track pants and sneaks, looking massive. His crucifix had fallen into his shirt and looked like it was going to break against his thick neck. His hands were in his pockets and he was looking at her, head turned down slightly and his eyes piercing. 

"You gonna let me in?" he breathed.

"Yeah," she answered softly.

She then registered his eyes going down to her stilettos, slowly up her tanned legs, to the bottom of the trench which was mid thigh, over her chest in which the coat was partially opened. His chest breathed up and down more noticeably.

He walked past her into her apartment and she closed the door, locking it.

Tommy admired the ambiance in the place, "All those candles smell so nice, it looks like someone's going to get laid big time in here," he turned to her and smiled. She loved that he was a little dirty with the things he said, his humor being a sublime thing that he had slowly shown for her more and more.

He went back to taking in what she was wearing, "Baby, whatchoo got under there? It's not raining and...Jesus Christ...those heels look dangerous." He looked back up at her and into her eyes. His gaze was exuding a heat that told her she was in for it.

This was Gisella's time to do the big reveal, and so, eyes locked with his, she undid the belt on the trench coat and opened it.

Tommy's jaw twitched for a second near his cheek and his eyes narrowed. He was so turned on she could see the outline of his excitement.

There before him were her breasts, plump in a bra she got a little smaller than she should have. She wanted the cleavage to be perfect. The black lace was thin and her dark rosy nipples could be see through the design on the cups. A small back bow on the bra was nestled between her cleavage. Her skin had a glow to it due to applying the perfect mix of lotion with a vague dusting of sparkle. Her collarbone above all of this looked like it needed to be licked, he thought to himself. He gazed down to her stomach, the ridge down the middle running into her perfect navel. He could tell she was a little giddy because her tummy was breathing in and out a tad bit more excitedly than normal. He followed this into the smallest panties he'd ever seen on her and surmised they were probably a G-string. Again, the lace was barely hiding anything and he felt his cock stiffen even more when he could make out her totally shaved cleft. Her upper thighs were toned but not too thin and they ran down to her long legs and into those fucking amazing stilettos to her red-painted toenails.

He made his mind up then and there that he was going to put his mouth on every single inch of that.

The best part, if Tommy had to be honest, was her smoky dark eyes and pony tail. She looked unbelievable and he made a mental note that the pony was getting pulled.

"Well?" Gisella asked him, "Do you like what I threw on, Tommy?"

His nostrils flared for a second, still looking at the ensemble and then his eye slowly looked up at her, "Safe word. What is it?"

***

The trench coat was on the floor as were the panties. Gisella was on her back, amber glow kissing her body and wrapping the cut muscle of Tommy's bare back in soft light as he lay his naked body down over hers, his mouth going to one of her breasts. His body was hot and felt like it was made out of iron as her fingers went over his traps, shoulders, and upper back. There was no turning back as she realized she had an animal on her and no man. His mouth took the nipple of her right breast, sucking, and his teeth lightly pulling at it. Gisella moaned and closed her eyes, her lower body beginning to grind a little into the sheets. His tongue flicked the nipple and made it hard and then, as he switched to the next breast, he licked the area between them. He took the other breast and squeezed it hard, Gisella crying out. It was almost too hard but it thrilled her because it was a definite sign of things to come. He treated this nipple with the same as the other and then pulled it even harder with his teeth. 

"Oh God, Tommy..." she sighed.

He growled and kept her breasts out and over the cups. He loved how her nipples would get hard at orgasm and he wanted an eyeful of this. He lowered himself down her body, the bed creaking a bit. Gisella could feel she was dripping wet and hot, her kitten slowly hinting at an early orgasm. Tommy had been able to make her cum without even being in her or eating her as she'd get so excited she'd have a mini orgasm. She felt it creeping as his tongue ran down the middle of her belly, licking the abdominal ridge. He looked up at her and his eyes looked fierce and black. She had never seen him look like this, even in all their prior sessions.

Then she realized. This was going to be a hard fucking. He was going to destroy her and then maybe, if she was still able to take anything from him, he'd go easy on her.

He licked her navel and then kissed down her lower belly and came to her burning sex. With an all-to-easy swoop, he pulled her thighs up, put them over his shoulders, and dug into her. She twisted and moaned as his mouth feasted on her. He took his tongue and applied a hard pressure that went up the bottom of her slit to the pink bead over her entrance. Soon his cock was going to be thrusting in and out, her little clit gliding against his stiffness. He loved that and his dick hardened into the mattress even more with the thought.

Gisella started to cum on his tongue and he just kept licking and sucking, not letting up even as her body shook. 

Tommy left her mound, which was a warm pink color from his ministrations. The glistening wetness at her folds was on her thighs too, and soon it would cover him. 

Tommy crawled up her body and hovered for a second, looking down into her eyes. Her hands went up his chest and to his shoulders. He was moving his hips slightly and the tip of his cock was sliding up and down her cleft. 

"Please put it in me," she breathed, "and fuck me the hardest you can."

Not taking his eyes off hers, his long bangs in his face, his rock hard body hovering over hers, he took ahold of the base of his cock, his upper lip curling down a bit. Her body went tight and she softly sighed as he went to root inside her.

He balanced himself on his arms, his biceps looking unyielding and powerful as he started pistoning. He was fucking her incredibly hard and it scared her to bring up her thighs as she was afraid he'd break her in two. The loud popping of his hips to hers juxtaposed his heavy breathing and hers. "Fuck, I love those tits," he said, looking down at her breasts as they bounced with his onslaught. She looked down and all she saw was muscle, tattoos, and his beautiful cock absolutely nailing her. Even the hair at his crotch turned her on, which was slightly but not too obviously manscaped. He continued to fuck her like this for five minutes, her orgasm coming hard against his dick and a curl appearing at the corner of his lips, "Yeah....you like that, baby?" he said softly, his thrusting not slowing down.

Tommy reached down and pulled her thighs back and Gisella winced for a second. He was now terribly deep and she could see there was no stopping him. That is unless she used the safe word.

She was about to almost utter 'Bubblebath', when he reared up, eyes rolling back and he grunted out a long glorious orgasm. His chest was slick with sweat and red with exercise, as he bear down on her, milking out his climax.

Twenty minutes later and Gisella was on her knees, Tommy mercilessly fucking her from behind. He had her ponytail, which was slowly loosening, in his fist. He kept pulling her up more and more, her breasts perky and her ass sloped up to his groin, "Look at us, baby..." he breathed, his dark eyes catching hers in the mirror, "Who's fucking you, baby? Who's making you cum? Huh? What's his name?"

"T...Tommy..."

"Yeah? Is he fucking you? Is he making you cum your brains out?"

Gisella would've never gotten wetter from any other man acting the alpha male like this. She would've thought it egotistical except for all the times he was tender and slow with her. This was just Tommy really getting into it and she loved every inch of what he did. All seven to eight, she amused herself.

He let go of her ponytail and pulled her up onto her knees, his cock still in her, his hand splaying across her stomach. His eyes looked at them both over her shoulder into the mirror and he bit her ear, "You still feeling good, honey, tell me what you want, k?" he said softly. He was sweet. He had been concerned that maybe he was using her too hard but damn it the set up. Her body, her hair, her damn panties and those heels. He lost it inside when he saw all that and then tasted her.

"Yes, Tommy...just keep fucking me," she cooed.

"K, baby."

Mario's "Let Me Love You" came on her little player as Tommy slowed down. He took ahold of her neck softly, and whispered in her ear, "Turn around and face me." She got butterflies again with how he said that. She faced him and with her pre-orgasm pulsing in her, he took her face with his large hands and started to deeply kiss her. He was incredibly slow and it was very moving. His hands went around her and squeezed the roundness of her ass. He pulled away slowly and then laid down on the bed on his side.

"Come here," he said softly. 

She lay down next to him, in a spoon and he lifted her right thigh, his cock re-entering her with a sigh from them both. He wrapped his arm around her and they entwined their fingers. His warm lips went to her shoulder and neck intermittently with kisses. She watched them in the mirror but she felt this cheapened the experience. She just wanted to feel his body.

Her ass was grinding against him, his body deeply inside her. She could hear him begin to shake like he always did and so she began to let herself go. They came together, her soft cries juxtaposing his moaning.

 

They lay there for a little bit, listening to each other breathe. The room smelled like sex mixed with candles and it was wonderful. She felt so incredibly in love with him but couldn't tell him that. It would scare him and she knew if those words three words ever were to be said, they'd have to come from Tommy first. She could wait for him. 

She heard a little snore behind her and then felt him twitch. Her sex was incredibly sore but she knew in thirty minutes they'd be making love again.

Tommy, I love you, she thought in her head. Maybe it would somehow reach him and make him feel the same.


	25. Chapter 25

Miguel's "Coffee (Fucking)" playing as Tommy grinds into Gisella. 

His hips were flush with hers as he held her close and tight to him, one arm around her back, the other hand behind her head. His breath and lips hot on her neck as he thrusts deep. The sound of his breathing, so close to the edge of cumming was making her barely lucid. She felt like she was wrapped in him, his muscular body holding her hard to him. She could smell his hair, which she loved, and was clearly a cheap but clean smelling product that did it's job. His cock was absolutely splitting her, her walls aching around the shaft. She started to clamp harder and she heard him pull a long groan from deep inside himself. 

"Yes, yes, yes..." she started to softly say. His hips started moving faster, his breathing louder.

"Oh God, oh God, yes, Tommy..."

He didn't say anything, but the sounds he was emitting told her all she needed to know. 

The familiar tickle crept up and broke forth her orgasm deep inside. Her fingers dug into his back and she would've given anything to have seen it at that moment. The way the powerful muscle of his back and ass moved when he was rutting her out hard could look magnificent if a mirror was placed right. Her moans along with the sensation of her climax caressing him broke Tommy. He growled deep and strong. She loved the feeling of a man with this kind of strength inside and around her. It had been the first time in her life she felt that way, actually, and it was amazing.

 

Tommy brushed his teeth that morning in the bathroom mirror, a mint green towel around his waist. Was that a hickey? He drew closer to the mirror, bending over the sink ever so slightly. Sure as shit was. This girl killed him. He loved it, no doubt about it, but now he had something on his neck that made him recall 8th grade. He pulled back and kept brushing. 

Gisella came into the bathroom wearing his Sparta t-shirt. He had left it over there and he guessed she felt like most girls did wearing it. He wouldn't tell her she wasn't the first to do so. Of course it had been washed but she wasn't the first to want to try the thing on. He sometimes wished he was a normal guy, no MMA career clouding things.

Tommy spit out the paste and filled a cup with water and swished and spit again. What was she looking at? That's another thing they all did. Stare. 

Sometimes he wanted to be smaller, like a regular-sized guy. He almost wondered if she would've liked him had he been of normal build. Probably. This one was sweet. She smiled at him. He smiled at her in his barely noticeable way, which only seemed to show in his eyes softening up.

"Can I feel this?" she asked and felt his right bicep, "Like, make the hardest muscle you can," she continued.

He couldn't resist joking that she already felt that this morning. She shook her head and he felt like a tool. Bad jokes would probably always be a problem of his.

He flexed his arm and Gisella immediately felt the rock hard intimidating granite that was one of his biceps. She had felt that before during sex but he looked so damn cute in the mirror she had to touch him. 

"Tense this," she said, her hand going across his stomach.

"Girl, you're killing me," he shook his head and lightly smiled again. He looked to himself in the mirror and his top lip pursed as he tensed his abdominals. 

Gisella's looked at him in the mirror and bit her lower lip, "Yeah you're right. Eight."

"Yeah? You think?" he said with a slight strain to his voice. 

"I love your body, Tommy. It's like a machine," she said.

Tommy released his flex, shook his head and then went behind her, his arms going across her waist, his eyes looking into hers in the mirror from behind her, "Enough about me. I only care about you."

She knew better than to think he didn't like the attention she paid to his body, it just embarrassed him. She could tell he felt like a douchebag when women paid attention to him. She was about to say something about relaxing a little but it was still too soon. Tommy was subtle about himself. The only time he was ever loose is when he was making love to her or cracking a little sex joke here and there.

"Do you want to get out of here and go with me on a run?" he said finally after they had looked at each other in the mirror for a moment.

She was shocked. Outside. With Tommy. She was half beginning to think she was his dirty secret from other girls. 

"Sure," she answered, a huge smile on her face. This was a nice baby step.

He shook his head again, "Get your running shoes. I'll show you my place."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Sush for the idea about the Miguel song. Now it reminds me of Tommy Conlon laying it down.


	26. Chapter 26

"Wait! Shit! TOMMY!" Gisella yelled as the thuggish figure ran ahead of her past another abandoned factory. He turned and ran backwards for a second, "Just a little bit more, baby, you can do it. I'm not even workin' ya!" he called out to her.

Damn it, Tommy, she thought to herself. Her chest hurt from the activity. She went to the gym and trained with a trainer but this was something else entirely. This was a UFC level fighter pulling her along for the kind of routine he did twice a day, with only a small lag to allow her to catch up.

She went a little bit further but stopped, bending over with her hands to her knees. She turned her head to the side and saw Tommy in his beanie cap almost clearing the horizon. She didn't care if he went on and left her here. She was about to throw up. Why did she let him do this? Now she felt like she needed a cardiologist.

Tommy finally turned, "Sweetie! We're here...just over this hill!" 

Gisella shot him a bird. He shot one back and kept going. 

She knew what place was just over the hill. It was an old iron works with huge turn of the century blast furnaces left in it. She had seen it before when she tagged around with her cousins. It was no place to be but with Tommy it was likely safe. 

She walked the rest of the way and saw Tommy in the distance pulverizing a punching bag. How the heck that got out in the middle of a field with a bunch of tires she didn't bother asking. It was hanging from a huge truss that looked like it was part of an older structure that had been partially torn down. 

"Are you Rocky?" she asked him as she finally made it up to him.

Tommy's body language changed for a second and his eyes glared. He had his beanie pulled down low and that always looked so deadly hot on him. This time she shivered because it appeared she said something that pissed him off.

"Come again? Rocky?" he asked and then rubbed his nose, punched the bag and then walked off.

"Sorry!" she immediately called out. She guessed joking with him like that was a sore spot or something.

He found a tire and started beating on it with a sledge hammer. He sounded like he was breaking the damn earth as the thing came down with a boom each time. Damn, Tommy.

"I was only kidding," she said.

"I know," he said breathlessly, "Just stop fooling around."

She stood there and watched him. The hammer looked like it would've pulled her backwards had she even tried to raise it over her head.

Tommy finally stopped and then threw the thing down with a thud. "I know some good exercises you might like doing," he said and brought her over to some bars. "A lot of ladies don't have enough upper arm strength, do five pull ups and then tomorrow you'll do seven."

Gisella didn't think she should be offended that Tommy brought her out there for a work out. She just went with it. She figured she'd be able to do all five pull ups but was wrong. After he had effortlessly lifted her by the waist so she could reach the bar she hung there for a second. It took everything to bring herself up once. It was impossible to do even three pull ups.

"Come on, you can do it," he said spotting her as he stood behind her.

"I hate you, Tommy," she said, and grunted to a forth."

"There you go...think of punching my face or somethin'," he said.

"I will!" she winced and finally did a fifth and then let go, dropping to the ground, her arms on fire.

"Your body weight is one of the best things to use as resistance. Push the floor. Give me fifteen," he said and pointed to the ground.

What was this? Now she was annoyed. She know he meant well but also wondered if she should be angry. He was going to owe her. Some extra girly activity would be required in the near future.

She did the push ups a lot easier. He dropped to the ground and did a ridiculous amount and quickly. 

Tommy had her co-workout with him for an hour, showing her some of the lighter steps he'd take. The guy was probably holding back in what he normally did just to accommodate her, she figured. It was only reasonable that he'd want her to be included in something he loved. Still, she wanted to go on an actual date with him. Out to eat, out to a movie, out to a park. Was that ever going to happen?

Baby steps.

 

As they walked home, Tommy took her hand and held it, "You did good today, little girl," he said, "Besides the exercise I want to teach you self defense. If I didn't care about you I wouldn't take the time to do it. I can't let my girl be caught in a situation."

She nodded, looking at him for moment. He had a scar under his chin she wondered about. Probably the same reason her brother had one, from falling off something at school while showing off. She asked him about it, loving the little white slash amongst his stubble.

"Pops did it."

 

Tommy and Gisella entered the apartment building where they lived. He seemed to sail up the stairs and she trudged. She was about to turn onto her second floor landing when he kept heading up, towards his apartment. "I'll make us something to eat," he said, pulling his keys out of his pocket. Gisella stifled a groan and didn't want to seem ungrateful so she followed him.

"I make a really good spicy egg, avocado, and cucumber toast sandwich," he said and her ears perked up. God please I will give you anything if this man is also good in the kitchen, she prayed to herself.

She sat down at his kitchen table and he brought her some water, "Drink up. Your body can get energy from water," he told her. Energy from water sounded like some incorrect yet somehow correct bodybuilder lore. She drank greedily out of Semper Fi cup. "Nice cups," she said, seeing that he had a whole set.

Tommy looked up in the cabinet as he started working on the sandwiches, "Yeah. Tess. She's my sister-in-law, got me those for no reason."

Gisella was familiar with his family, and probably more he thought. She'd done so much research on him in the past that she had to keep straight what he told her and what she snooped.

"Oh yeah?" Gisella answered, trying to sound like she didn't know much about his family, "I'd like to meet her."

Tommy was quiet as he kept making the food. Gisella thought that she probably overstepped some boundary and so she said, "I like meeting new people. Maybe she'd like some cupcakes."

He nodded, "If not her the girls would."

The nieces. He had photos of them on his fridge. One in junior high and the other in elementary. He had a photo of Brendan's family on a table with haphazardly set wrestling trophies from the late 80s. She wanted to one day meet these people. That is, if he'd ever relax enough to let their relationship move further.

Tommy brought the sandwiches over and sat down with her. "It's good...I think you'll like this," he said and she picked up her sandwich and took a bite.

The taste flooded her mouth and made her want to inhale the thing, "Jesus, Tommy...this is amazing!" she said and kept eating. He smiled and kept eating, too. She watched his lips as he ate. God he had such beautiful huge everything, she thought, and then busted out laughing hysterically.

"Okay..." he smirked, "...whatchoo laughin' at, girl?"

She shook her head and sighed and looked at him, "You're just a lot of fun."


	27. Chapter 27

Gisella was on her laptop answering an email from her boss about a new file when she heard someone talking in the stairs near the second floor landing.

"I'll just wait ten minutes or so outside his door...you said he left about 45 minutes ago?" she heard a man with a light Philly accent. She then heard Mrs. Locato offer the man coffee but he said it was okay, as he had enough already. Gisella laughed to herself as she could tell he was trying to avoid having to sit awkwardly in an older woman's apartment. A few more exchanges occurred and the landlady finally let him go and she heard him going up the stairs.

"Wait a second," Gisella said to herself, thinking outloud. She was luckily already dressed from an earlier doctor's appointment she had gone to and went to her door. She opened it and saw the man about ready to head up the stairs to Tommy's floor when she called out, "Are you Tommy's brother?"

She had figured before she opened the door it would be Tommy's older brother Brendan since she he never had visitors. When she opened the door it was exactly the same man she'd seen in a photo in Tommy's apartment and in her secret online searches. He was taller than Tommy but not as thick, with a face that clearly took after their father's. He was a good-looking man, no Tommy, but still attractive. He looked like his face took punches a lot less harder than Tommy; he was only two years older than Tommy, if she remembered correctly, but he looked about six years older. 

"Yeah, Brendan," he said and started back down the stairs and towards her. He held out his hand, "You're his neighbor..."

"Gisella," she said, shaking his hand, "If you want to wait here for him you can. He usually comes by my apartment before going up to his."

Brendan looked at her for a moment. She didn't mean it to sound weird but it likely did. Of course, Tommy probably never mentioned her. Why would he? She still didn't know where they stood. It was a Tuesday morning at 11 am and Brendan was meeting a strange woman who was likely providing horizontal entertainment to his brother, she could imagine.

"Um, I don't want to be a bother," he said.

"Oh no you won't be. I'd just hate to have you stand out there on the landing. Nowhere to sit," she said.

He agreed and came in. She left the door unlocked to make him feel less odd about the situation. Although Gisella was laid back, she could imagine a married man like Brendan was probably not too excited about being behind locked doors in a young woman's apartment.

"Could I get you anything to drink? Water, tea, coffee, hot tea?" she asked him.

"Oh, just water is fine," he said and sat down at her kitchen table."

"Yeah I work from home, and Tommy and I have become good friends," she felt the need to explain or make Brendan feel like the situation wasn't sleazy.

"What do you do?" 

"I work in insurance. It's boring, tedious work."

"Couldn't be any worse than running a gym," he said, "That's what I'm here to talk to my brother about. Do you think he'll be back within ten?" he continued.

"Yeah, he usually runs down to the mill and beats up on stuff and comes back," she smiled and put the water on the table.

"Thanks," he took a drink, "I like those curtains," he made small talk, "My wife Tess wants new curtains like that, with light colors. It's been a while and our stuff looks dated."

"You guys have a lot of money from Sparta, so that will definitely help," she said, then realized that sounded rude to talk about his finances.

He wasn't bothered by it, "That money was so heavily taxed and went in a ton of different directions, let me tell you. We are opening more gyms now and my partner and I had to sink more than we wanted into them."

"I imagine running a business is..."

Tommy opened the door and stopped, not expecting to see his brother. His eyes were the typical narrowed look he'd always have if he wasn't smiling or feeling at ease. He looked pissed.

"Heya, Tommy," Brendan said.

"I guess my text wasn't clear," Tommy said as he closed the door and went on towards the kitchen.

Brendan stood and thanked Gisella for the drink and the chat and said, "I need to talk to you in private, Tom."

Tommy had opened the door to the fridge and was getting water. He turned, uncapping it and took a sip, "We can talk here. Wassup?" Tommy said, not seeming to really being open to talking.

Brendan looked at Gisella and then back at Tommy, "I need to know your answer on Brooklyn. Do you have a month to invest in this? It's not that far."

Tommy breathed and then took another swig, "I told you I'm not interested. It's just not for me."

"Tommy, I mean you wanted to do this before. I don't understand...come on, let's go up to your apartment."

"Anything you have to talk about you can say in front of my girl. I made it clear that I'm staying here. Maybe at one time I wanted to do this, but you have Frank. You don't need me."

"Frank is too much like me. I need some input from you too."

"Brendan. I said all I'm gonna say."

Gisella wasn't sure what they were talking about and she wasn't about to chime in. Tommy looked like he was holding back some anger and there was also a little bit of something else she read for the first time. He seemed almost intimidated by his brother's presence. In the few times Tommy had let things slip about Brendan, she learned he was in his brother's shadow in some ways. He had needed Brendan but was sort of abandoned by him. Now he saw Brendan as the guy who had it all and made better decisions. He felt like he could never measure up and at the same time didn't want to be reminded of it.

"I just wish you'd reconsider, Tommy."

"I'm sorry yoo came all this way, man. I really and truly am," Tommy's voice was doing that thing again where it would slide into Pittsburghese territory, "Say hi to Tess and the girls."

Brendan shook his head and said to Gisella, "Nice meeting you," and went to leave. Before he got to the door he turned, "Tommy, maybe you'll think to bring Gisella around sometime," and he opened the door, walked out, and left.

 

Tommy exhaled, his nostrils flaring. He went to looking for some protein bars he had left at her house and tried to busy himself with the search.

"Tommy, sorry. He seems like a really nice man and I didn't want him to have to wait..."

"You let him in?" he turned, his head to the side like he was trying to hear her right.

"Uh, yeah...he was just going to stand up there and wait for you. Mrs. Locato kept trying to get him to come in for coffee."

"Just, when you see Brendan or god-forbid if my Pop comes by, just don't engage them."

"Tommy, that's silly. I'm not going to be rude."

He gave her a look that told her she needed to not continue on about it. Gisella loudly sighed. This was getting old.

"Look. I know you may not want to open up yet about them but..."

"Stop, Gisella. Think it over before you continue."

She was just dumbfounded. So this was going to be their second argument. It had been some time now and Tommy needed to either relax or this wasn't going to work. 

"I can't do this. If you're going to get out of sorts every time something personal comes up, then we're going to have problems," she just came out with it and it felt like a relief.

"Gisella. I told you this was going to take a while...and I told him you were my girl. That's huge."

She looked at him for a moment. She just registered that he had indeed said that. She got up and came up to him, her arms going around his waist, his encircling hers, "It is."


	28. Chapter 28

Gisella was laughing as Tommy did his pull ups on the bar at the mill yard. He was groaning through it, his face looking like it was on the verge of telling her to fuck off. He'd pull up and wince and lower his body and relax for a moment before doing the same thing again. Of course it was harder since her thighs were around his waist, her body weight added to his own.

It was Tommy's idea to add her to his own work out. A little over 100 pounds more was added to his thick frame and it was not as easy as he thought. Still she could feel the mechanics of the muscles under his shirt and it was making her wet.

"Two more, Tommy," she teased and he finally said, "Fuck you, babe."

"Later on, if you're a really good boy."

Tommy paid her back ten minutes later when he was done with the pull ups, "K, same thing, your thighs around my waist 'cept you're gonna do sit ups."

"How?"

"Your thighs around my waist as I stand, you're facing me and then you lay back, your head almost to the ground. Just think of me as a bar you're hanging off with your knees, doing sit ups."

She scoffed and he said he was dead serious, "You have some slight abdominal definition already girl, I want to bring them out more," he told her.

"Oh YOU do," she said sarcastically as she jumped back on him, his hands going under her ass to position her better at first.

"There's nothing wrong with a strong core, now go, Gisella."

 

Later that evening she was feeling just how out of shape she was again. Her thighs hurt more than anything else and during sex she told him she wanted to lay on her back. "I'm spent, Tommy."

They were naked except for the crucifix he always wore. He nodded as he slid into her, his breath hitching, "It's okay, babe. You took everything like a champ today....uh....." he closed his eyes for a second as he started moving his hips, "...you deserve to lay back and feel good."

He opened his eyes and looked into her brown ones. He looked so soft and with each stroke his breathing became slightly more labored, his full lips open. She was in ecstasy already. There was something about how he fucked her that made her so wet, so achy, and cum so hard. She closed her eyes and he immediately told her to look at him. Her eyes opened and he looked so incredibly beautiful.

"I really think I'm in love with you, Gi."


	29. Chapter 29

Euphoria.

Gisella was daydreaming when she wrote that word on the monthly calendar that was flat on her desk. She circled it several times and then drew a big heart. That was the day Tommy told her he was in love with her.

It had been a couple days ago but it had changed her life. She had told him she was in love with him too and after that happened he stared into her eyes looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Since then their lovemaking had gone from passion to the softest most beautiful sensuality she had experienced. He made her body come alive in so many ways and her climaxes reach new heights she had never before experienced. It was extremely powerful and moving. The rush of love that overtook her body when he was inside of her, making her cry out, was pure ecstasy, and like nothing she had with prior love interests. Tommy was everything.

Since then they made up their minds to live together. He would sleep in her bed, her head on his chest each night, or until one of them had to shift to another side. She listened to his heartbeat and felt the pattern beat faster when he was turned on by something she'd say. He'd sometimes roll over, her body spooning against his, and he would enter her, his breath in her ear.

"I want to hear you cry out when I do this...no words...tell me what you like when I touch it," he'd whisper. His hand would go to the pearl at her opening and she'd moan and twist a little against him, "Yeah?" he'd confirm.

Gisella's daydreaming was interrupted when Sarah called her.

"Hello?"

"Dang, Gi! That guy is into you!"

Gisella smiled. She had waited to tell Sarah all about Tommy's declaration because she didn't want a flood of texts the next morning after he admitted his feelings. The last thing she had needed was to be on the phone or getting texts left and right about it.

"Yeah, I know. I was surprised he said it."

"God girl, you're gonna be having Conlon babies and all sorts of stuff in a few years I bet!"

"While that would be nice I don't want to rush to that conclusion. It's all too surreal."

As Sarah started to talk, Gisella's cellphone made the sound that a call was coming through. She pulled the phone away from her ear and it was Tommy.

"I gotta get this, it's Tommy."

"Tell him congrats!"

"Sarah!" Gisella said before telling Sarah she'll call her back later and clicking over.

 

"Hello?"

"Hey baby girl. Whatya wearin'?"

Gisella sighed. His voice was one of the many things that made her crazy. It had a little edge of attitude covered in a male version of huskiness and just the right amount of Pittsburghese.

She was wearing a tank top and jeans.

She heard him shift around a bit, then he spoke, "You know what I like?"

"Hmm, Tommy?"

"When you sometimes roll your top up a little when we work out and it exposes your tummy. I love that."

"You mean like how I have it now?" She lied. She had no reason to have it up.

"Don't tease me. What kind of panties are you wearin'?"

"Boy shorts. Pink ones."

"Yeah?" he said, making it clear to her he was getting turned on.

"Oh yeah," Gisella answered softly, a smile on her face. She was getting a little turned on herself and wanted to know if he was near, "Where are you?"

"I'm sitting in my car in a parking lot. Just got some groceries. They're probably gonna melt, huh?"

"Yeah, you better get home, Tommy."

"I can melt some of this on you."

"I bet you could."

"Hey, when I get there, I don't want to make love to you."

Gisella was surprised and answered, "No?"

"No. I don't. I want to FUCK you instead," he said with his mouth going closer into the receiver part, emphasizing the word fuck. Gisella felt herself begin to pulsate with a familiar ache. They had been so soft lately that she was wondering when the more hardcore Tommy would show up. She was so ready for him.

"Come home, hurry please," she begged.

 

Tommy came through the door twenty five minutes later, paper bags in hands. He put the bags on the counter, Gisella nowhere in site. He heard some music in her bedroom and he grinned to himself. He went about taking everything out of the bags and putting them up. Gisella came out of her bedroom in a carefully put together ensemble; incredibly short shorts that were rolled at the waist and pulled so low they covered her up only to the very top of her thong, a tank top knotted right below her cleavage, some knee-high socks she had from an old Halloween costume, and a strapless lacy bra that matched her thong. Her hair was down.

"Tommy, you gonna hurt me?" she said, making him turn around.

He grinned at her and it was deadly.

He came from the kitchen and sat on the arm of the couch facing her, and folded his arms, the forearms and biceps looking much bigger than they usually did. "You tease me so so much, baby."

She turned around and he admired her backside and the dimples in her lower back. Jesus she had a fine body, he thought to himself. He wanted to crush her right then and there, his body so far up into her that she lost her mind.

"Come here," he said and she came over and stood with her legs wide apart, his knee edging her mound.

"I can feel how warm you are through those little tiny shorts. Where did you ever find those?" he smirked, his hands going to her ass, caressing her.

She had her hands on his shoulder and felt the thick muscle that ran up and became his traps. His neck felt warm. She then grabbed some of the hair at the back of his neck and brought his head back a bit. He growled deeply and stopped her, "Does the little pussy cat want to play with the tiger?" and then he started to almost laugh. She did too and fell a little into him, her hands then going to his face, kissing him deeply. He shifted on the arm of the couch and reached up to one of her hands and brought it down to the huge bulge in his sweatpants, breathing, "It wants to be inside you so fucking bad right now, baby."

Gisella bit his lower lip and then hurriedly went to pull his shirt up and off his body. She looked down and saw a white cotton pad on his left pectoral. He had gotten a new tattoo. Before she could say anything about it or ask what it was of, he stood, bent down and threw her over his shoulder, "Bedroom. Now." ***

Tommy lay there on his back, beads of sweat cooling on his body and Gisella's. He watched a droplet run down her right breast and onto the sheet below them, her nipple hardening as the cold air met her cooling skin. She looked exhausted after the hour they just spent fucking each other. He could never share with her the gross things he had in his head because they were seriously male and very base, but he wanted to live inside her constantly. He loved how she yelped when he'd rear up behind her and fuck her like they were animals in heat. He loved pulling her hair and making her back arch, her ass slide up his wet thighs, and how liquid would run out of her when she came. He felt strong and virile as hell. He wanted to claim her and mount her in front of everyone and everything and beat his chest, telling them she's his. He'd never tell her that. It was disgusting but he felt it. She made him feel like a goddamn Neanderthal and it felt so freeing.

Of course she could do whatever she wanted to him. He just wanted to please her. It made him feel so fucking good to watch her work herself up so much and then the inside of her finally start to milk him. Her grip was powerful and it led to her cumming the hardest he's ever seen a woman go. She wouldn't just cum, she'd go into this grinding ecstasy on him and he'd just watch her, his eyes wide and his cock dying to join her. He wanted her to get as much out of him as she could. Use me, baby, use me. You want to ride my cock, my face, my fingers...hell, my lap...just do it.

The pussy was strong with this girl and yet he'd never let her know that the sex they had was one of the biggest things that made him fall for her. Of course he loved her personality, her laugh, her stories, her baking, her everything, but to find a good girl who could ride or die like he liked, it meant a lot.

He was a pig. But he was one who would do anything for her.

She shifted and then rolled over. She inched up on her elbow and looked down at the patch on his chest. She then looked at him and his eyes were studying her. She wanted to see what it was. "Can I look?" she asked. He nodded ever so slightly and she carefully pulled the cotton and tape back. Underneath she saw red shaved skin and a beautiful script upon it. It simply said Gisella.

She looked at him, his chest rising and falling with his breathing, gray eyes looking at her, "Over my heart," he said.

 


	30. Chapter 30

Gisella led Tommy by the hand through the crowd at the night spot Sarah and Stephanie and their guy friends wanted to meet them at. Tommy had agreed to go out as long as "It wasn't some fuckin' sports bar with yinzer douchebags in it wantin' to ask me how I put down Grimes in that video." 

Earlier that evening Sarah had promised Gisella three times that this place and the people in it were a classier crowd and the guys Stephanie and her were dating weren't MMA fans. Gisella had put Sarah on speaker phone and made her promise it wasn't a secret loser hang out. Before Sarah could say anything he took off the speaker phone and talked to her.

"Hey Sarah. It's Tommy. Hey girlie. Yeah, nice to talk to you, too. Now, tell me about this place, 'cuz I'm too old for this shit at thirty three. I'm not jonesin' to go up there and be pestered."

Gisella smiled and turned because she knew her friend was probably beside herself talking to Tommy. She also knew that although Sarah was somewhat a promiscuous girl, she wouldn't set him up to go to a low class meat market bar. It was a nicer place in downtown Pittsburgh and Gisella even looked it up on her laptop. Seemed legit. 

Tommy had wanted to be more outgoing and not hide in their apartment and at the mill. He was coming out of his shell and she even heard him on a phone call with his brother talking about the gym in New York. He wasn't changing his tune on going there but he was helping Brendan with some things over the phone. They had a good relationship that still had it's little strains here and there. She was just happy he wasn't as brooding as he had been before. And she was ecstatic that they would be moving into a place together. She wouldn't admit it but when she saw wedding things online she'd wonder if that would come next.

Tommy came back to her, snapping her out of it and handed her the cell, "Sarah's promised me no jagoff's are gonna be at this place. She sounds sincere."

Gisella wasn't about to joke and say Sarah was someone who could bend the truth to her advantage. She took the phone and got back to her friend.

"Goddamn Gisella, he sounds to effing hot on the phone."

Gisella rolled her eyes but then turned. Tommy was just in his boxers now as he was getting ready to head into the shower. He turned and looked at her and pulled them down and kicked them off. He nodded at her to join him in the shower and then smirked at her. "Yeah, I know, Sarah. He is."

 

They had a driver pick them up and drive them to the club. Tommy said he wasn't going to drink but he also didn't want to navigate downtown at that hour. The driver knew who he was and asked him about another up and coming fighter, "Do ya think that kid's somethin', Tommy?" the man asked, thick accent almost annoying Gisella. Tommy was nice to the man, "Yeah, he's got the chops but a mouth on him. He needs to keep that in check an' he'll be alright." Tommy was humoring the man. He wasn't following the particular fighter the driver referred to as he was being trained by Mad Dog. Grimes would likely be making the kid into the same kind of asshole he was, and that would only go so far.

Tommy's hand went to Gisella's thigh and pulled her skirt up a little bit. The driver had no way of seeing this, especially since the car was dark inside and his rearview couldn't see deep into the back seat. Tommy sighed as the driver started talking about another fighter. He inched more and more up her skirt and Gisella refused to look at him, but the corners of her lips curled up. His hand reached her panties and he pulled the fabric so it twisted hard against the underside of her sex. The pressure was terrific. Her mouth opened, he smirked and slowly turned his head in her direction. 

"...And here we are!" the driver said after his yammering.

Tommy tugged even harder once more and Gisella yelped, the driver not noticing anything. She slapped Tommy's arm and he grinned, and then his bottom jaw twisted in self-satisfaction for a moment.

"You're a jerk," she teased.

 

Inside the night spot, which was actually a nice classy tapas bar with dark wood paneling and not a douchebag in sight, thrumming dance music played, but it was the good stuff, sexy stuff that made you want to pin your date to a wall and make out with him. Everyone was dressed nicely, like they respected the place, with a few guys wearing ties. It was no dive bar, not a night club, and not a meat market. No one stared at her and Tommy when they walked in, until they got past the bar area and a few women eyed him. Gisella could see the desire in their eyes as he walked by, "Starboy" by Weeknd playing. These were gorgeous women, the types that likely came from Philadelphia or New York and may be there for a short time on business. Then again they could be higher class girls from the city who were admiring the man in a black button down, dark gray slacks, thick chest and arms telling them he's built like a bull under his clothes.

Gisella ignored them and caught the waving hand in a back booth and saw it was Sarah trying to get their attention. She and Tommy went to the large half circle booth and Sarah jumped up to hug Gisella and then Tommy. Gisella caught that Stephanie's eyes were drinking Tommy in. She looked like she was sizing him up from head to toe as her date stood to shake his hand. The men knew who Tommy was but they were nice men who didn't immediately jump into MMA questions. Sarah said they were both male nurses from the hospital where she worked, new transplants from Ohio that were roommates. Tommy sat and seemed relieved that no one had led in with, "You kicked Grimes' ass!"

A girl appeared at the table and asked the new arrivals if they wanted something to drink. Gisella hadn't gotten to drink in a while and was about to ask for a Stella when Sarah said, "Get her a Washington apple...two!"

"Sarah!" Gisella piped in, "That's too much already."

"One," Sarah told the waitress. Tommy just asked for a seltzer water with a lime. Stephanie saw it was her in to engage him and said, "You don't drink, Tommy?"

He shook his head, "Not in a long long time."

 

The night went on with no problems. Tommy seemed relaxed as he and the dates Sarah and Stephanie brought talked about how Pittsburgh and the differences in it and Cleveland, where the dates came from. There was only a brief discussion about MMA but it was respectful and one of them knew a lot about Tommy's career but didn't constantly focus on it. Tommy asked them some medical questions since they were nurses and then the subject of the worse thing they'd seen in the OR, Operating Room, came up.

Gisella was slowly getting more and tipsy. Sarah and Stephanie and her got up when a good song came on and they went to go dance amongst a bunch of other girls and a few guys. Once they got out to the floor Stephanie grabbed Gisella by the wrist, "Dang he's gorgeous, Gi. How are you not constantly on your back?" she joked as only Stephanie and Sarah could. Gisella wobbled for a second and her guard was off, "I am always on my back," and the three of them laughed. They started dancing and Gisella started feeling much freer. She told Sarah, who already knew a lot anyways about them, and Stephanie, that Tommy and her had the wildest most exhilarating sex she had ever had. "Geez, so he isn't just looks, he's the whole bag?" Stephanie said and looked over at him. Tommy was looking over at them. He got up, left the booth and came over to them.

"Hey," he said and put his hands on Gisella's waist. The music that was playing was seductive and had a great beat, the singer leaving little to the imagination about what she was singing about. Sarah and Stephanie smiled at one another. Gisella put her arms around his neck and kissed him, "The girls...whoops..." she wobbled in her heels, "...the girls got me too much to drink." Tommy turned and smiled at them, "She's blaming you girls," he winked. He turned and started moving with Gisella to the music and then Stephanie came up behind him, her hands going around his waist. Gisella didn't mind but Tommy turned and looked at her, Stephanie winking at him. He shrugged and Stephanie's hands felt his abs through his shirt, he turned again, "Really, Steph? Come here," Stephanie came around and looked at him, "You got a really nice guy you've left in the corner over there, go get him," he told her. Stephanie nodded and went to get him but almost fell on the way over.

"She's just as drunk as Gisella," Sarah said, "I better go steer her back and order her a rum and Coke."

"Yoo need to order that girl somethin' without rum, sweetie," Tommy told her. 

Gisella and Tommy had been there for an hour but she had already had a beer and three shots. She pulled Tommy close, "When we get outta here, I want a Marine between my legs in a bad way," she purred.

Tommy shook his head, "You may not be awake enough to enjoy him."

"Well he's wrong. I'm wide awake," she protested. 

He took her by the hand and went to go back to the table. The other four people in their party were standing. "What's up?" Tommy asked. "We're going back to Sarah's. It's just around the corner," one of the male nurses said. Tommy nodded. The night wasn't too far gone and he knew Gisella was having fun. An hour more and he'd be taking her home and to bed.

 

Two hours later.

"Puff puff give," Stephanie joked and leaned on Sarah's shoulder. The guys who came with Gisella's friends were watching a fight between two female fighters on pay per view. Tommy was relieved they didn't pull him into their TV viewing activity. Those guys appeared to be into MMA afterall, he noticed, but they could keep their fandom in check. 

"Here, Tommy. Do you ever...?" Sarah bypassed Stephanie and handed the bowl to Tommy. 

"Not since high school. Not going to break that record, either," he said. It wasn't something he ever enjoyed. He used to smoke a joint here and there but it was either cheap shit that didn't do much or he just wasn't impressed enough to keep it up. No, the biggest threat to Tommy was safely back at the bar they had just left. He would've turned into the worst kind of alcoholic, like Paddy, if he was allowed to nurse a bottle. It was best to leave it alone. 

"Here, Gisella," Sarah offered and to Tommy's surprise he watched his good girl take a long bong rip and then cough only slightly.

"There she is!" Stephanie said as she watched Gisella.

Gisella laughed and then took another rip, held it in and crawled over to where Tommy was sitting, kissed him deep and he took in what she shotgunned into him. Smoke came out of his nose, like he was an old pro.

"Nice, thanks, babe," he said. He shook his head, "No more for me, k."

Gisella nodded.

"Tommy, what kind of vices do you have?" Stephanie asked. She was very into him.

"Too many to mention, Stephanie." He looked like he was getting a little tired of her. She had been staring him down all night and ignoring her date. She reminded him of the kind of broad who would've grabbed his cock in a night club and claim it was an accident. He didn't trust her. Sarah, she was okay but she seemed to be easily influenced by Stephanie. 

Gisella went to sit down but then felt she needed to show them something, she started to unbutton Tommy's shirt, "Babe," he started to protest but he stopped. Her eyes were a little bloodshot. She wasn't herself exactly and while he didn't like it he wasn't going to make a scene, "Look at this tattoo."

Stephanie and Sarah inched closer and Stephanie's hand felt his chest. Tommy was looking at her and nodding his head, smirk on his face that said, 'Yep, this is perfect for you, isn't it?'

"That's serious," Sarah said.

Gisella sighed, "Yes. He's a keeper." Tommy looked at her and then back at the girls, "You know, it's getting late and we need to get home."

 

***

"Next time we hang with those girls, we need to put a shock collar on Stephanie," Tommy said as they went up the steps to their apartment.

"What did she do?" Gisella asked, drunk-weary and full of more pot than she should've probably consumed.

She leaned on Tommy and he scooped her up into his arms, her heels in his hand, "She was gropey and shit."

"Yeah? Well I'll yell at her later. Take me to bed, Conlon," she joked.

He shook his head, "Oh, I will. I most certainly will."


	31. Chapter 31

Tommy got Gisella out of her dress and into bed. She was a little hung over and a little high when she lay back and started to rub herself through her panties and moan. Her eyes were closed and her face looked like it was in deep concentration. Tommy's brow faltered and his mouth opened in disbelief at first.

"Damn, girl...I'm just gonna watch you do yourself in," he finally said, surprised by what she was doing. He sat on back on his knees on the bed and watched her until his slacks were getting too uncomfortable to keep on. 

She was writhing and arching her back, her fingers inside herself. She took her other hand and dragged it up her stomach and to her breasts, pulling one out from under the material. She pulled on that nipple and he about died when he watched the rosy bud become irritated, hard.

"What you're doing is absolutely killing me, baby," he said as his eyes turned darker, "Whatchoo thinkin' of?"

"You, Tommy...when I'd be in my bed all alone I'd touch myself to you," she breathed and then made another cry that made him even weaker.

"Yeah? You'd sit in here and think of me? Think of me doin' what?" he said as he shed more of his clothes. He had to remove his boxers too, as his hard on was almost painful. He got those off as he kept an eye on her. She opened her eyes a little and was very happy to see he was naked and very very hard. His cock was full and ready for her and a little jolt went through her as she thought of the pleasure it was going to give her. He a beautiful piece with a nice thick vein which ran up the bottom of it when fully ready. She saw a little moisture at it's tip.

"I'd think of you working out, your body nice and strained and wet...and you coming up the stairs afterwards..." she started to breathe hard and closed her eyes.

"Goddamn girl..."

"And then you coming to my door, panting at it...wanting to mount me...and you took me by the hair and led me to my room...pushed me down on the bed, and then nailed me so hard that when I screamed your name everyone in the building heard me..."

"Yeah...I knew you'd fingerbang yourself to me. Little sweet thing like you hidin' behind those button down shirts and skirts. From the moment I saw you I wanted you."

This pleased her deeply and she kept working gradually working up to a quicker pace.

She was wet as hell and it was making his body burn with need. Something very feral and deep spurned in him and he got off the bed, pulled her off with a yelp escaping her lips, picked her up so her thighs were around his waist and absolutely impaled her against the wall. 

"OH GOD, TOMMY!" she squealed.

He was thrusting so hard a picture frame fell off the wall near them and went crashing down. She looked for a second and he took her jaw with his right hand, "Look at me while I fuck you, baby...come on...come on..."

"Oh shit Tommy...oh God...I think..."

"Yeah?" he growled.

"I think I forgot to take my pill..." she said worried out of the blue.

Tommy shook his head, "I don't give a fuck...I'll knock you up right here right now, baby..."

"Oh God...Tommy...I'm gonna cum..."

"Come on, baby girl...cum on me...you need me to cum with you?"

It was too late for her to answer as the most powerful orgasm she'd ever remembered traveled down her walls and started it's vibrations deep inside her, "TOMMY!! YES!!" she wailed and he kept fucking her hard.

He could actually feel her slipperiness start to flood him and he lost it. He jetted hard into her, his teeth clenching and the feeling taking over that he was an animal tearing apart this soft beautiful thing he had against the wall.

"GODDAMN!!" he roared and their bodies grinded against each other, a slick warm mess building at where they were connected. Tommy's eyes rolled back and he felt like he was losing his balance for a moment until her nails in his back brought back his attention.

He felt so much for this woman it was breaking his heart holding her. He wanted to be one with her and be of her. It's like he couldn't get close enough. He wanted to meld.

He meant every single word he said about wanting to make her pregnant and it felt good.


	32. Chapter 32

Months later.

Tommy moved with Gisella after breaking his rent at their prior apartment. Mrs. Locato had charged him two months extra rent and he gave it to her in cash. Getting away from there with no strings attached to the place was very satisfying. To never have to see her meddling in his affairs and asking questions about if he was planning on "Ever sleeping in his own apartment" made him ecstatic. Let someone judge his girl. He didn't care what anyone thought about him, but Gisella he cared about.

Their place was on the other side of town and on the top floor of the building. Before they moved their stuff in, Tommy had stopped the elevator and took Gisella by the mouth, kissing her deeply, "I'm so fucking happy right now, babe," he breathed into her. She laughed and ran her hands up his shirt, feeling his chest, scratching down his torso, "God, why do we have to put this stuff away," she answered, "I just want you right now." Tommy pulled away from her, caressing her face, "Whyda think I stopped this thing?" "Tommy! My friends and Brendan are downstairs. They're going to wonder where we are!" Tommy smiled big, his eyes full of light, "Let them wonder," and moved in and started kissing her again.

Gisella learned to not look at an elevator the same after that. Tommy could take her anywhere and she wouldn't mind it. He had a way about him that made her feel secure and yet very free to passion. At night when they went to bed she'd lay with her back to him, his chest breathing steady behind her, his right arm around her and his hand gently smoothing through her hair. Sometimes this led to them making love or it led to him just listening to her talk about her day. Tommy just listened and didn't protest. He was different than her prior boyfriends who always wanted her to quiet down. It was like Tommy had been lonely for so long that he was just grateful to hear someone talk to him and not make him feel inferior. It was in these moments that he'd open up more.

One particular rainy night she watched the water run down the window pane, an old factory smoke stacks that had long gone dormant in the distance. Tommy had her in their typical embrace, her laying on his left arm, his right bicep against her right arm, his hand softly in her hair. He smelled her hair and she heard him hum to himself for a second. Her rear was cushioned against his thick thigh and her feet were tucked between his lower legs. She was wearing only a thin Steelers t-shirt, boy shorts and he had on an old pair of boxers she kept trying to throw out.

"I think I one day want to live on the West Coast. Like Seattle where you sort of lived," she said.

"Seattle is wet and dreary, sweetie," he said softly.

"I know. How was Tacoma?" she asked, knowing it was where he last lived before going to boot camp at Lejeune.

"Sad."

She hated doing that to him. She knew some subjects would draw close to his life with his mom, but at the same time she wanted him to one day feel at peace with it.

"Tommy, would you ever go back there and create new, good memories?"

He shifted a bit and then kissed the back of her head. He sighed, "Maybe but I couldn't see me staying there. I'm East Coast, Gi."

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Besides, I don't think I could ever really move far from my brother."

That was the first time she'd heard something like that. Their relationship was off an on. She knew they had resolved their past problems after the Sparta competition but there were still a little bit of head-butting. Tommy felt he couldn't measure up still to his brother and she'd tell him he absolutely did and even more than Brendan. Afterall, who had held their mom as she died, went into the Corp at the worst absolute time, lost his closest friend in the world, went down such a deep hole that he went AWOL, only to have to face his past demons, including his father...it went on and on. He was a strong man. She would take him by the face and tell him so when she'd see him get frustrated with Brendan and Paddy, which still happened. The VA-sponsored shrink he had after getting out of prison had helped only as much as he allowed. Tommy had to do the rest. Being a loner for so long meant he never had personal positive reinforcement. He needed her more than she at first realized and sometimes it scared her but filled her heart.

"You can stay near Brendan. I wouldn't drag you out West, Tommy."

"Yeah, but what if yoo wanted it. I can't hold you back."

"I'd rather be with you than live near the stupid Space Needle."

He shook his head and laughed, "I've seen it. Nothing to get too excited over. Besides. Philly is better."

"Do you always want to stay in Pennsylvania, Tommy?"

"I want to stay wherever you are, Gisella."

She turned and snuggled her head against his chest. The smell of Tommy's skin was a pheromone to her. Her hand felt around for his heartbeat, which could be hard to find under the muscle. "It's right here," he said and pulled her hand down to his crotch and he started laughing hard, "Tommy!" "What?! I thought that's what you was lookin' for!" 

***

Tommy was at Colt's the next day meeting with the namesake to talk about some new clients. Colt Boyd had been one hell of a good man to him and Tommy felt that he was still too gruff with him. He always felt he owed it to Colt to help him train the new guys that looked the most promising. They had talked about a female fighter named Jondra Farook and Tommy had been enthralled with her power, as it reminded him of himself when he was younger and hungrier. She was twenty one, black cornrows, had a body that looked like it could hurt most of the men in that gym, and a very angry scowl to her face. She was deadly and Colt ventured if Tommy was ever going to take a female on it had to be Jondra. He saw Jondra walking through the gym at that moment and then saw something else unfortunate near to her; Mad Dog Grimes. "Is that asshole friends with her?" Tommy asked Colt.

"Who? Grimes? Shit. He keeps trying to get her to train with him. It's already been brought to her attention that it isn't in her best interest. Grimes doesn't respect any female in the sport. She's smart enough to know that."

Tommy nodded and then took a swig of the water jug he had with him. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Wait, NOW?" Colt asked, seeing that Grimes was currently talking to a bored Jondra.

"Yeah. That fucker will clear out once I come over anyways."

Tommy got up and walked over to Jondra with his trademark Tommy Conlon walk that was half thug and half I-Don't-Fear-Anyone. Right as rain, Trent Grimes saw Tommy and gave him a look that said "Up yours" but still left Jondra's side.

Tommy introduced herself and for the first time in a while, Colt saw Jondra smile. 

"Son of a bitch," Colt said to himself, shaking his head and went back to his office.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry so short. Had to get the meet cute in for Jondra and Tommy. No...they won't be love interests, but they will have an awesome trainer-fighter relationship.

"So. What's your plan?" Tommy straight shot with Jondra after talking to her for twenty minutes. He could already tell she was a lot like him and that's what usually led him to who he trains. The people with anger in them. Jondra didn't need nobody, especially no man, and Tommy liked that. She tried to cop a little attitude with him but he took her down a notch and told her she didn't need to be so hard all the time. "Be hard when it's time but not with me. If I'm gonna train you..." "Daddy, who said anything about trainin' me?" "You gonna listen, Jondra? Shhh." She made a pfft and looked away from him. "That fuckin' guy there...Grimes? He's not gonna take you seriously. If you want to not be taken seriously then go to him. Be my guest." "I want to hear what you have ta say, Tommy." "Yeah? You wanna hear what I have to say, huh? About trainin'?" "Yeah." "Yeah?" "I said, yeah, jeez."

He liked her. She smiled at him. If she had what it take he'd keep her on. If she didn't he'd let her go. That's what he'd do if someone wasn't serious. He could tell she wasn't going to give him too much push back. 

They set up a training schedule and she worked it out with Colt as far as the regimen. He knew how Tommy liked things done and had learned long ago how to help get fighters set up for him. One week. Tommy could tell in one week if she was going to be a keeper or not. He just had a sixth sense. Colt had secretly wanted Brendan to work with him, too, but knew Frank Campana was more his style. The two Conlon brothers. It would have been something else. 

As Tommy was leaving the gym he saw Trent Grimes was parked close to him. He was busy chatting up a woman from the fashion gym next door, as Tommy referred to them, all meat market and no true athletes. She looked like she was carrying a set of double D's that weren't hers naturally and she looked high maintenance. 

"Now if you're like Conlon over there, you are in the business of never having any business," Trent said. They turned and looked at Tommy and laughed, while the woman, a bleach blonde, looked Tommy up and down.

Trent kept talking and Tommy leaned over the roof of his car, "Hey, Grimes. All this lip service you give and I ain't ever hear of you trainin' anyone. By the way, thanks for Jondra. She was an easy grab."

Trent's eyes glared at him and Tommy got in his car and turned the ignition on, loud music blaring. Grimes just stood there staring him down, which was all he'd ever do, and the woman he was talking to kept her eyes on Tommy's car longer than need be.


	34. Chapter 34

Gisella stood before the mirror in their bedroom, light from the candles she had lit casting a smooth glow that made everything look beautiful. She was looking at her hair, did it look good up or down, she thought to herself. The black nightie she had on made her feel sexy, the silk clinging to her curves. A year ago she would've been afraid to wear something like that but Tommy made her feel like she could wear anything. She saw him emerge from the bathroom behind her, only long sweatpants on which were loosely tied and hung low. The dipping indentation at his hips was one of her favorite things on him. He turned to get something out of the drawers near the bed and she saw the sweats were so low the very top of his ass was showing. He looked irritated as he pulled the sweats up a little, his hands going to the tie to redo it. Tommy had the most beautiful masculine hands, the veinwork across them made them look incredibly strong. His forearms, biceps, chest...she could never keep her eyes off him. She even loved the trail of light blonde-brown hair that ran down the center of his stomach and spread once it hit his navel. It disappeared into the sweats and ran down to one of her other favorite things. 

He finished rifling through the drawers but apparently couldn't find something. 

"What are you looking for, Tommy?" she asked him as he turned and came up behind her. She studied him in the mirror. He was about six inches taller than her, perfect height for them, and his eyes burned with very obvious lust. He pulled her hair gently into his hands, leaving one finally to hold her hair and he leaned in and kissed the top of her right shoulder. She closed her eyes and leaned her head to the side to snuggle towards him. He put her hair over her left shoulder and then his hands slowly went around her waist, his head down but his eyes up. Gray eyes through heavy lids burned at her. 

"I want to tie you up, baby...and I can't find anything to do it with."

She sighed with pleasure.

"You see, I want to put you in a situation...kinda make you bend to my will, girl."

"Tommy..."

"I guess I kinda tapped into something I've always wanted to do but was afraid to ask."

"...are you asking me or telling me you want to do that?"

His eyes closed and he kissed her ear and then down her neck, "I'm not going to give you choice, princess. I'm just really, really wanting to dominate you."

She moaned when his hands came up and caressed her breasts.

"Any safe words?"

His head came up and looked at her in the mirror, "Nah. You won't need 'em."

She could feel his hardness grinding into her ass. "Do you want me to call you daddy?" she breathed, now slowly rolling her rear into him.

"You can call me whatever you fucking want when I've got you helpless and dripping underneath me, baby. You can call me daddy, Tommy, motherfuckin' Tommy..."

She moaned again and her head went back to his chest.

"See, I've always wanted to see how far I can push you, little girl. You're the softest little thing I've ever seen. And goddamn it makes me want to put you over my knee."

"Spank me then...do it."

Tommy growled deep and then said, "I should do it now, shouldn't I?"

"Stop talking about it and do it," she said and she saw his eyes flash, a smirk draw up on his face. She turned and smoothed his bangs out of his face, "Marine, you better fucking take me now and stop being a pussy." His nostrils flared. She was just as much into this as he was. She continued, grinning, "And, Tommy? I don't want you to hold back."

He felt like his heart was going to explode. She was game and it was on. They had talked about this kind of rough play before but they agreed he'd surprise her and not prepare her for it.

Tommy slowly reached one very ripped arm around her and pulled her tight to him. Since they were playing on the Corps thing he looked into her eyes and smiled darkly saying, "Ooh-Rah."

***

Soreness was not even the beginning of it. They fucked so hard that Gisella got her period in mid-coitus. Tommy had bruised her ass, held her down, made her scream, and pretty much went full mode on her. He temperature checked her and each time she'd tell him to "Shut up, keep going!" or "Oh my God, I'm cumming again!" He had scratches all down his chest and one of them pissed him off because it was through the Gisella tattoo and may have scarred it a little. Shit. $400 down the drain. He'd need a touch up. 

He loved it, though. She raised him to the occasion each time he wanted to try something else. She didn't complain about any of the positions, including when he nearly had her falling off the bed at one point. It was different and a science experiment to see a woman orgasm while neatly upside down. 

Gisella got up after their last session and walked funny to the bathroom. He heard her sit down to pee and she winced, "Oh God, Tommy...we can't do that again...ow..."

Tommy was up quick and out of the bed and rushed into the bathroom, "Babe, I am so sorry...here..." he went to the tub and started up the faucet, "...We won't do that again..."

"Tommy, Christ, calm down...it's just sore for now."

"No...get in."

"Tommy, I'm on a period...I don't want to sit in the tub."

"I don't care if you're on the ra-" he said, "...your period."

Gisella shook her head, "You were going to say rag, weren't you? Tommy, it's okay. Seriously. We just went really hard at each other. And you've got a nasty drag of my nail through 'Gisella'. Oh Tommy..." she said as he started to look down at his chest, "...I'm so sorry."

"I know, THAT sucks. My tattoo has a slash through the G," his eyes took on that pissed, watery, red eye look he'd sometimes get and he sniffed his nose. His hand was under the faucet as he felt the water. "Get in. Don't worry about what is in the water."

Gisella reluctantly got in but only after getting a bikini bottom out of the dresser in the bedroom.

She went to sit down in the water, which was Tommy-hot and not Gisella-hot...too hot...and winced. 

"Do you need cold water, babe?"

"Yes. It's lava," she said, stepping back out.

Five more minutes passed and he got it perfect for her. She sat down slowly and then he got in behind her. It was a large claw foot tub, one of the reasons they liked the apartment, and she inched up to rest against him.

"Okay, so if we ever do this shit again, I'm going half way as hard. I was stupid," Tommy said, his hands going down her forearms. She took his arms and wrapped them around her torso, her hands over his.

"Tommy, you were fine. I gave a lot too. I'm not some little kitten."

"Yes you are. You're my kitten," he kissed her ear.

She thought for a moment and decided to lighten up the mood, "Hey you think we should take a selfie in here and send it to Stephanie?"

Tommy laughed, she felt the rumble in his chest, "No. That fuckin' girl would hate you forever. She's a mess."

"Yeah. She's always been a huge flirt. I'm half surprised she hasn't showed up at the gym."

"God, don't say that. If she does, I'll show her Grimes."

"Oh God."

"Wait...I don't know who would be getting the worse end of the bargain there."

They laughed. Gisella was feeling better but admitted to herself she probably shouldn't have told Tommy to smack her ass harder. She had showed off and none of it hurt when they were having sex, but she needed to tone it down just the same. Rough sex with an ex-Marine who yanked a door off a submerged tank and then proceeded to beat up every MMA professional in Atlantic City, until his own flesh and blood stopped him, was probably not the same thing as rough sex with Joe Blow down the street who worked as an accountant.

***

"Who's that?" Jondra asked when Tommy and her finished training for the day. She had seen the background photo on his cell of a pretty brunette woman wearing a black Steelers shirt and leggings.

Tommy didn't answer her for a few seconds as he tried to keep his thought process. Did she need to meet with him Thursday at 5 or Friday?

"That's my girl. What day are we meeting at 5?"

Jondra gave him an eyeroll, "Thursday, boss." She thought he didn't see her do that but he did.

"Roll your eyes again. Do it," he both got onto her and teased. 

Jondra was probably one of the best athletes he'd ever come across. This kid followed his lead every single time he needed her to. She learned quick, acted quick, and it all sunk in quick. She was very powerful, too, and it had shocked him how fierce she was. He was halfway wanting to spar her with some of the male fighters but knew that wouldn't have been right. Still, Jondra could've held her own with the lighter weights. It had to be what it was like for Paddy to train him. Tommy did whatever his Pops had said and did it until he got it right. Jondra was the same. "Fight me, girl!" he had yelled at her when they were in the ring and he wanted to test her kicks and balance in the beginning. She didn't hold back and wasn't afraid to take it from him. Course he couldn't try and hit her like a man, but he did give her enough to test her. She was fearless and it was beautiful.

"So, your girl there. What's her name? Or do you just refer to her as girl?" Jondra teased back.

He was still looking down at his phone, scrolling through his calendar, "She's Gisella. What?"

"Nothin'. Just wanted to know her name. I like a pretty face, too."

Tommy looked up and smirked, "You like girls?"

"Sometimes. But I have a boyfriend, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Look, tomorrow I'll tell you all about Gisella and you can tell me about your guy. Until then, remember your dinner tonight. Stay on track, alright?"

"Yes. I copy," she said, joking with him. He had asked her once if she copied and then felt stupid because he sounded like his Pops. 

He shook his head. This girl.


	35. Chapter 35

2 months later.

"How long have you guys been together?" Sarah asked Gisella as they sat on the couch. Sometimes Sarah would come over on her days off from the hospital and hang out with Gisella as the latter worked. Gisella would probably only get half her work done but it was fun to have her best friend around. They talked and watched chick flicks while drinking high calorie coffee drinks. Sarah needed this therapy after her four days on at the hospital. Gisella loved the female company. She didn't see her mom and sister much since diving into Tommy's world.

"A while now. Over half a year...seven months I think," Gisella said to her friend.

"And neither of you have met each others' families?"

Gisella thought about it. Neither she nor Tommy really ever talked about it. Her mom and stepdad didn't live nearby, her brother was always out of town for his job, and well, her younger sister would probably drool over Tommy. Still, she didn't know what was going on in Tommy's mind about his family.

"I guess he's never thought to take me over to meet his family. I mean, I met his brother that one time..."

"Yeah, the one who fought him?"

"...Yep. Brendan. And that was a weird situation to begin with."

"Yeah, you had told me. Does he have a good relationship with his brother?"

"It's okay. I think they've reconnected, definitely. Apparently there was like fifteen years of bad blood there."

"I still think you should meet his family and you his, Gi."

"It doesn't bother me. I'm still trying to learn him totally."

"What else is there to learn? He's hot, he's built like a brick shithouse, and he's all about you. I still can't get over that tattoo. In a way it's kinda psycho, though."

"It is not psycho, Sarah. He's just very sweet."

"What's he gonna cover it up with if you guys were to break up?"

"Gee, I don't know. I hope that doesn't happen, Sarah."

Sarah laughed, "You know I'm messing with you. It's sweet. He obviously thinks the world of you. Now. Are you going to take it?"

Gisella's mind went back to the box on the coffee table. She had picked it up at the store and was almost afraid to do it.

"What will I do if it has two lines?"

Sarah shrugged, "Then you'll have to make a big decision with Tommy."

 

**

"Babe!" Tommy called out as he came through the door. It had been hot out and he stripped his shirt off after he closed and locked the door and threw it on the back of the couch. He kicked off his sneakers and kicked them over to the corner near the TV. Ninety degrees in Pittsburgh wasn't unusual in the early summer but it sucked just the same. Tommy loved the cold and now he'd have to adjust to four months of heat. He just had his sweat pants on when he reached the bedroom and saw Gisella. She was in the bathroom putting lotion on her neck and chest. She had just gotten out of the shower.

"Mmm, you didn't want to wait for me?" he said as he kissed her cheek. He went over to the shower and went to start it up when he spied a pregnancy test in the waste bin near the toilet. He looked up at her slowly.

She caught his demeanor shift and noticed he was looking at her, stopped in his tracks.

"I'm not," she said to him, her hands going slowly to rest on the sink.

Tommy nodded and smiled softly. He stepped away from the shower and came up to her, putting his arms around her, "You relieved?" he asked her, his eyes studying hers in the mirror.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm not ready for that. We're not married and it's kind of too soon."

Tommy kissed her wet hair and then looked at her again, "You can't always plan stuff...yeah? I'm not exactly ready for that either...but then again...." he sighed, "...I'd like to one day do that with you."

Gisella turned to him, "Really? We haven't really talked about this. Baby steps and all."

"Gi, if you haven't noticed I've been pretty open with you anymore. Sure, I don't wanna fuckin' talk about my past still but my future, I see you in it and I see a lot more than just you and I."

She put her head on his chest. His pheromone was strong since he had been sweating and she loved it. She kissed his chest and the salt from his sweat tasted good. "Tommy, I love you so much."

He squeezed her, his hands going around her ass, "You have no idea how much I love you, sweetie. You have made me whole."

 

**

Gisella was driving past Colt's near the sketchier part of down town. To think Tommy would walk there from Paddy's would give her chills. Then again even to the hardest of men in Pittsburgh, Tommy Conlon was not exactly the type you wanted to mess with. He had a way about him that told people to back the fuck off, and he just had to look their way to impart that wisdom.

She was a little curious to know what Colt's looked like inside. She had seen it in the notorious 'Mad Dog Get's His Ass Handed to Him' video that was a copy going around on several video websites. Tommy was on a mission to kick that man's ass and he did it swiftly. She used to secretly watch it and a few of the Sparta videos before he'd come to her apartment. It made her incredibly hot to see that and then have him take care of her. She had to pinch herself sometimes just thinking of the power she'd have between her legs. Tommy could slay her with a look and then put her to bed, her body relaxing into the mattress after a hard session. Nearly every night that was how she slept, with him behind her, guarding her like a lion with a lamb. 

Gisella decided to pull into the parking lot that was across the street and go in. Maybe Tommy would be up there. 

She got out of her car and quickly ran across the street. When she pushed open the glass door, the place immediately smelled like the gym at her high school and it was twice as loud. A woman at the front desk who looked like she participated in brawls looked up at her as she approached. "Shapes of Pittsburgh is next door," the woman said, thinking Gisella was lost. 

Gisella shook her head, "Oh, no I'm just here to see where my boyfriend works."

The woman regarded her for a second then asked, "Your boyfriend works here? Who?" 

"Tommy Conlon." 

The woman looked surprised, "Conlon's got a girl?" 

Gisella just looked at her. The woman was a little rude. 

"Yep. I've been with him for a while. Is he here?" 

"In the back," the woman said and went back to what she was doing on a laptop. 

Gisella walked past the chain length fencing that was apparently part of the décor and saw the place was filled with young men working out, sparring, jumping rope, or talking to each other. Some of them looked at her and one kid that looked like he was at most eighteen nodded at his friend to look at her. The friend looked and they grinned. It was the kind of regard that she was a piece of meat to them. She looked the other way and kept walking to what she believed was the back. 

"You lost, honey?" a man with a faux hawk said to her. Gisella didn't recognize him from the video immediately but it was Trent Grimes. He was sitting on a bench while another guy who's face was covered in tattoos was holding a jug of water for him. 

"Just looking for my boyfriend, Tommy." 

Mad Dog couldn't resist and shifted a little on the bench, "Oh he's here. But I wouldn't bother him now. He usually takes Jondra to the back and..." he looked at the guy with the tattoos, "...pushes her hard," and then looked back at Gisella after his friend chuckled. 

"Okay, yeah..." Gisella said and then went to go. 

"You know, something, come to think of it, they may be back in the shower area. I know she had something that was sore and needed to be worked on," Trent continued. 

"Who are you?" Gisella asked, giving him the up and down look. Was this place filled with jerks? 

He stood and stretched, making his six foot two frame even taller. He was showing off how much taller he was than Tommy. When he was done, Gisella was still looking at him, amused, "My name's Trent. What's your name, honey?" 

"Gisella. So he's in the back?" 

"Yeah. But I mean, he's probably not expecting you. You may want to wait out here for them." 

"I think I can manage. I know he's training her and I appreciate your descriptive commentary on what he's likely doing with her." 

Trent watched her leave and turned to his friend, "Conlon has good taste. Surprising since I always figured him for a bitch himself." Gisella heard that but ignored it. Trent and his friend laughed and admired her rear. 

Gisella made her way to the back and heard Tommy before she saw him, "Fifteen with the rope and we're done," he said to Jondra and she nodded, jump rope in her hands. She looked worn out but immediately went to jumping rope fast. She was a pro at it, whipping the rope to her side every so often like Gisella had once seen Tommy do. Except Tommy did it faster. It had turned her on to see him jump something as simple as rope, but a sweaty shirtless ripped man who had a low-pulled beanie cap on looked more amazing than she could've ever imagined. 

Rap music with very nasty language was playing. Tommy looked serious as hell as he studied Jondra's movements and nodded his head to the beat. The song kept talking about molly. It wasn't Gisella's kind of music. 

Jondra saw her but didn't dare stop jumping rope. Tommy could tell her eyes focused on something and he turned and looked and saw Gisella. He regarded Gisella for a moment and turned back to watching Jondra. He looked a little irritated. 

She felt immediately out of place and judged for it. Maybe this was a bad idea. 

Gisella stood there, no use in leaving, until Jondra was done. When the girl was finally done she dropped the rope and went up to Tommy, their fists coming together as kind of an end to the training for the day. 

Jondra intently looked at Tommy as he spoke to her, "You go home, eat when you get there, ice that knee, and tomorrow we'll focus on more plyometrics. You are intense, girl." Jondra nodded and smiled. She then turned and looked at Gisella, "Boss, this your lady?" 

Tommy cut his eyes over at Gisella, "Yep. Jondra, Gisella. Gi, Jondra." Jondra came up to her with a hand extended and a genuine smile on her face. Gisella smiled back and they shook hands. Jondra was one tough intimidating-looking girl. She looked to be about six years younger than Gisella. She had beautiful creamy mocha skin, black eyes rimmed with curled lashes, and her hair was in tight cornrows to her head. She had a slash type scar near her eye that made her look fierce and a tattoo on her arm that said Anita and had a heart around it. The heart had a year of birth and year of death on it. By the year of birth Gisella conjectured it was her mother. Jondra was ripped and powerful-looking. She had full beautiful lips and to Gisella's surprise she had a little nail polish on. 

"Nice to meet you, Jondra," Gisella said, "Tommy's told me a lot about you." Gisella was being halfway truthful. Tommy only slightly talked about Jondra and she had always heard more about the past male fighters he'd trained. Jondra was beautiful and strong, the perfect woman, it would seem for Tommy. Gisella felt bad but her mind immediately wandered to why he would be so much more quiet on Jondra. 

"You're way outta his league," Jondra joked and threw Tommy a joking glance. Tommy shook his head but didn't smile. 

"Same with you," Gisella joked back. She then realized she didn't mean it to sound that way, she was more just complimenting Jondra on her looks, but it could've been taken wrong, like Tommy and Jondra were up to something. 

Jondra smiled and knocked Tommy in the arm, "K, boss...I'll see you tomorrow," and she put a towel over her shoulder and told Gisella it was nice to meet her again. When Jondra left, Tommy turned and looked at Gisella with a darkened look on his face. 

"Why you up in here?" he said and then walked past her to get a gym bag on the floor. 

Gisella was wondering why he was so mad. Did she cross some line here? She felt out of her element, yes, but that was only because she wasn't involved in MMA. Why was he mad? 

"I was driving by and just wanted to see the place. Is there something wrong?" 

"I don't want you in this world, Gisella. This is a totally different world than your own." 

Gisella looked at him funny for a moment, "It's just a gym where you train clients, Tommy? MMA isn't so heavy a thing that I can't handle it. What is the deal?" 

He had picked up the bag and was standing there looking at her like she kicked his tires, "This is my place away from us." 

"What?" Gisella wasn't understanding. 

"You gotta leave some things for me and me only. Just...don't come here." 

He went to leave and she followed. This made no sense. It almost made her wonder if some of the stuff Trent said was true. She knew Tommy was loyal but why was he keeping this from her. 

"I mean is this some thing where it's from your past that you're worried about me seeing? Because it doesn't bother me, Tommy. Or scare me." 

"You have your time with your stuff and I have mine. I just...you break my concentration," he said turning to her. She looked around and noticed a few people were paying attention to them, including Trent, who was smiling. 

"Okay, but do you have to be so pissy about it, Tommy?" 

He kept walking and as they got to the front door he nodded at the rude lady up front. Once they got outside he laid into her. 

"Don't ever come up here again unannounced. You understand?" he said, eyes squinting with anger. 

"Tommy, I don't know what the hell your problem is. It's a gym. You train people. It's not some top secret boy's club. Jeez!" 

"It's not a place for you Gisella. Where's your car?" 

"Over here," she walked to it as he stood in the road. 

"I'm serious about this, Gisella. Respect that." 

"Tommy, I won't come back here, Jesus. What the fuck," she said and then turned away talking under her breath, "Don't let me keep you from your fucking training with your protégé." 

"Excuse me?" he stopped, his chest rising and falling a little more visibly. He looked really pissed. 

"Just, forget it. I'll see you at home, Tommy. Remind me to never speak about stupid MMA again, or watch it again, or anything regarding fighting. I didn't realize this was Tommy's Testosterone Palace." 

She went to her car, got in and saw him standing there near the sidewalk. He looked at her like she was the biggest bitch he'd ever talked to. His eyes were dark and he was almost standing there to make sure she was leaving. As she pulled out onto the road she shook her head at him and he still stood stock still. She drove on, starting to shake a little. She hadn't gotten into an argument in a long time and the look on his face scared her. She had been making such great progress with him but after all this time the MMA stuff, the gym, and his job was still a sore subject. Did he not want her to see something?


	36. Chapter 36

"Dude, that is weird," Sarah told her as Gisella talked to her on the cell on the ride home.

"Tell me about it. He flipped out on me. Like I was intruding on his secret world."

"Do you think it's that girl? I mean you said she was really nice to you...did she seem like she was sizing you up?"

Gisella shook her head, "No. Something tells me she is just his client and that it's strictly training."

Sarah thought for a moment, "Still. He can't expect you to never go near his work or be interested in what he does for a living. I mean, what kind of relationship is that?"

"Yeah, I know," Gisella said. She was getting closer to the apartment. She had taken a little roundabout way to get home because she wanted to talk to Sarah. Her best friend knew what to watch for and would steer her clear when her head was in the clouds. She turned the corner and as she found a place to parallel park outside their place, Gisella saw Tommy had parked his a few cars ahead of her. He was sitting in his car, likely waiting for her.

"I gotta go...he's waiting on me," Gisella interrupted Sarah and hung up. 

She got out of her car and saw him get out of his. He slammed his door and came over to her. 

"Did anything I say sink in or didya just call your friends and badmouth me? 'Tommy's being an asshole. What's Tommy's problem'," he mocked her. 

Gisella was still mystified by why he was so angry about this and now she was insulted by what he was saying, "When your boyfriend has a cow over you going to his work, yeah, you're gonna call your best friend and try and have her help you make sense of it. Jesus, Tommy. Are you afraid I'm going to take up MMA or something by just stepping into Colts? What the hell?" 

Tommy always looked formidable when angry. He was standing there before her, his gym bag in one hand and the other hand out at his side. He always had his hand slightly lifted at his side when arguing with people, she noticed. His body language was always expressive, as were his eyes, which were narrowed to slits. 

"That gym is a place for fighters and trainers. It's not a place for a woman like you, Gisella. 

"So? And what do you mean by a 'woman like you'? Am I some delicate flower that can't walk into Testicle Junction or something?" 

By now Tommy was looking to the side, another thing he'd do when pissed. He rolled his thick lips and nodded his head and then turned to her, "The guys at Colts are going to look at you like a piece of fucking meat. They're not just a bunch of guys training or working out. There's a bad element in there. Guys with records." 

"And again I say 'So?' Tommy, I already had a relationship long ago with a man who got jealous..." 

He smiled ruefully and shook his head and looked away, stepping back, "This isn't no fucking jealousy, Gi." 

"...and he didn't like men looking at me either. Are you going to become the jealous boyfriend? Because if so..." she stopped for a second, "...you can go, because I can't live that way." 

He looked back at her, "Did it ever occur to you that I am thinking of your safety?" he said, his eyes boring into her. They were blue-green at the moment, taking on the color of the sky. Tommy's eyes were usually gray but acted like a mirror and picked up whatever was around him. "Don't you ever fucking compare me to any piece of shit that was in your life prior, girl. Have I ever kept you from going anywhere with your girls at night?" She shook her head and he continued, "Don't think that's the mark of a jealous man." 

She looked at him and knew he was right, but all the same she didn't want jealous behavior to be suddenly rearing it's ugly head. There was still a lot to learn about each other and living together could bring out all kinds of surprises. 

"You think I can't handle myself in there? At Colts?" 

He nodded his head, thinking about something internally, "Babe, I think the question isn't about you. The question is, who's gonna harass my baby in a bad part of town like that?" 

"Tommy, I've been in places in Pittsburgh and other cities that would blow your mind. I'm street smart." 

Tommy laughed and she got mad. Sure, she had not been to Afghanistan, trekked back through the Middle East, then Europe, got on a ship, then ended up in a Mexican prison. That took cajones she could never have. Tommy was one tough son of a bitch. But to think she was a helpless girl who'd get carried off by what was likely just petty criminals at Colts, was Tommy underestimating her. 

"Don't laugh at me, Tommy." 

"Princess," he said, making her hate the endearment now, "You're no more street smart than a sixteen year old girl in a mall on the rich side of town. You don't have the sixth sense about situations that I do." 

She was upset that he thought so little of her. She knew her life had not been hard like his, but he was being rude. To Tommy he was being truthful and sparing someone he loved any kind of sugarcoating. 

Gisella turned on her heel and went to go into their apartment building, "You're on the couch tonight, Tommy Conlon." 

He made a pffft sound with his lips, "Okay. Well, we'll see how long that lasts, sweetie," and he followed her. 

"It will last however long I want it to last. Until you can stop treating me like a bougie teenager," she said, going through the door to the lobby and letting it fly back at him. 

She heard him catch it and make a grunt under his breath. She went to the elevator and pressed the button to go up. 

He stood there and smirked, "I'm sure that will last one hour until you want me back in bed." 

She glared at him, "Not hardly. You overestimate how badly I need you, Tommy." 

They got inside the elevator and she pressed their floor. He was still grinning. She was irritated by it because she knew what he was thinking. She'd want him in bed with her, their bodies falling into whatever beautiful routine they had. Sex, snuggling, deep kissing, looking at each other...all the lovely things they would do in there. 

"Yeah, we'll see," he said as they reached their floor. 

*** 

That evening they had ignored each other, him in the living room going over some training and observations in a notebook and her sticking to the bedroom and playing on her tablet. 

At bedtime, Tommy had put on his boxers and grabbed his pillow from the bed and a few sheets from the linen closet. She stared at him doing this and he still seemed to appear happy with himself. He knew how good he looked and how it tore at her. She went to the dresser on her side of the bed and found this one half shirt she had that went off the shoulders. She put it on and then some very tiny panties. Two could play at this game. She wanted him but also wanted to teach him a lesson and drive him crazy. Tommy came into the bedroom after putting everything on the couch and saw her rubbing lotion on her long legs. He tried to disregard it but she knew better. What she was wearing was incredibly sexy and made her body look amazing. 

He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and she joined him. They stood there in the mirror brushing their teeth, ignoring but not ignoring each other. She not-so-absentmindedly ran her hand over her stomach and then toyed with an errant string that was at the waist of her panties. He didn't look but his eyes bored into the mirror at himself. 

She finished brushing before him and said, "Well, nightie night" and went to the bed and got in, laying squarely in the middle. 

Tommy finally finished and went to the living room. She didn't hear a peep out of him. After twenty minutes of trying to not think about sex, she was going mad. Despite the fight and the things he had said, she had wanted him. Her hand went down to her sex and it was sensitive to any touch. She began to lightly pulsate thinking about what the body out there on the couch could be doing to her right now. All she had to do was get up and go in there and straddle him and it would be on, his mouth and hands all over her,

Tommy lay out on the couch fuming. She had to put THAT on for bed. It was something she'd wear to tease him and then they'd fall into bed or on the couch...or one time on the kitchen table...having madly passionate sex. Now he had to lay out on the couch with her in the bedroom, her warm supple skin outside of his touch. 

Shit. His cock was hard. He adjusted himself and yet the thing wouldn't go down. He needed to focus on something else but only saw her long legs and lotion being spread across them. 

Get it together, he thought to himself. She drove him crazy in more ways than one, but that is why he loved her so. He was not being jealous at all when he had said the things he said. He knew there were a few really bad seeds in that gym, and had even worried about Jondra in there. Colt was only going to keep the bad element away if they started criminal activity there or were bothering another gym member. Til then, they stayed. That world and the loving beautiful hot sticky sexy world he had with Gisella needed to stay separated, he reasoned. 

He looked down at his cock. He had a tent pole that could've rivaled a circus big top. All he needed to do was get up, go in there, pull back the sheets, hold her close and tell her he was sorry, explain himself better and within minutes he'd be putting out both their fires. He knew good and well she had to be aching for him, too. To tease him like she was doing...baby wants to play. 

I'll give her something to play with. He made up his mind to drive her insane. It may take longer than his body could handle but he was going to play the game with her and play it real hard.


	37. Chapter 37

Gisella's eyes opened and she realized it was daylight in their bedroom. It took her a moment to realize it wasn't a work day because she immediately shot up and looked at the clock.

10:03 am.

She sighed, sitting there and then it also dawned on her that she was in the middle of the queen-sized bed and no one else was with her. She had forgotten that part, too; she and Tommy weren't sleeping together. She had told him to sleep on the couch the night before but didn't exactly say how long. They had just egged each other on with how long neither of them could last without wanting to screw the other. Tonight he'd be back in her bed, more than likely, his warm muscular body inches from her own.

She had to remain steadfast and not initiate any sexual activity. It was going to kill her to not roll over to him when he first laid down, but she was going to try her hardest. Course, all it would probably take is seeing him sitting in their bed, table lamp turned on, him reading something in his notebook, and nothing but flimsy boxers on his body. Gisella knew good and well she'd probably jump him and be a writhing mess. She had to promise herself whatever happens, whatever he does, she could not be the one to give in first. It definitely had to be Tommy Riordan Conlon.

Gisella got up to see if he had left to go run. Tommy had not woken her with a door closing so she had wondered if he had just been really quiet. When she got out into the living room she saw him still asleep on the couch, his beautiful body stretched out on the pull out mattress, one leg bent, his face peaceful with his deep set eyes closed and hair all a mess. She watched his chest move up and down and wished her head was there, resting on the Gisella tattoo. Thank God he had no morning wood or she would have lost it. She went back to the bedroom and turned on the shower. 

Minutes later Tommy woke up after hearing a pipe in the wall move due to pressure. He stretched and felt his back hurt a little. The flimsy mattress of a pull out was no match for his frame. He hoped Gisella was happy because while she probably got the best sleep of her life, he was aching and stiff and not in the right places. He got up and saw himself in a mirror nearby; he looked like shit. He apparently slept fitfully and his eyes looked like they did after Sparta. "Fucking hell," he breathed angrily and then turned to put the pull out back into the couch. 

Apparently Gisella was in the shower and he needed to piss. He was going to try his best to not jump in with her because he'd lose all hope of keeping his hands off her if that happened. He shuffled his way to the bathroom. It was past 10 am and he growled under his breath. He never slept past 7 am.

The shower curtain was a frosted design but see-through. He could see a shapely female form in the shower, her head back, long dark hair and the outline of her full breasts. He could make out foamy bath suds going down her body and his balls tightened. Fuck me. He could make out her arms as bent, her hands sweeping over her clavicles as she bathed. He made up his mind to ignore her and get a quick pee.

Gisella was about ready to wrap up and could see Tommy there peeing as the toilet was close to the shower. She got the conditioner out of her hair and then turned off the water. Knowing good and well how she looked, she opened the shower curtain to squeeze out her hair. Tommy tried to ignore her slick wet body, droplets running down it, and her perky nipples. Water was dripping from her small strip of pubic hair. She noticed his face looked like he hadn't slept as good as she had and she felt bad. He regarded her for a moment and then flushed, leaving the seats up, which annoyed her. He went to the sink and got the tube of paste and his toothbrush and began the task of brushing with ultra focus.

She stepped out and walked past the towel rack to the linen closet in the bathroom and pulled a pink towel out. She wrapped it around her body and smiled at him as she went to her sink and got her toothbrush as well. Before she put her brush in her mouth she asked, "How did you sleep? I slept wonderfully."

He glared at her as only Tommy Conlon could and continued brushing. "Oh? It was bad?" she asked. She felt bad but at the same time memories of his insulting argument yesterday rejuvenated her.

They brushed in silence and he turned and went to the shower and pulled the curtain back with more force than was necessary.

"Rawr, Tommy," she teased.

He got in and turned the water on and she left. He was unbelievably pissed and wanted so badly to take his cock in hand and jerk himself into next week, but he also didn't want her to know he did it. He turned the shower to a colder setting and hurried with his shower. He had to come up with something to get back at her with.

Then it dawned on him and he smiled to himself.

***

Gisella was in the kitchen going through a checklist of ingredients she'd need for next weekend's party she was catering cupcakes to. It had been the first time in a while that she had been able to bake and she was starting to see her customers drop off because she was never available. Mr. Conlon was taking up her time, keeping her from anything else other than him. That was on her, not him, as she gladly relished being on top of, under, or in front of the man nearly every night. Tommy had even asked her about her business and she shrugged and said it was on hold. He had seemed upset and reminded her that she shouldn't give up her dreams. It had brought her back down to earth. 

She was working on the list when he came out, cargo pants the only thing on his body besides the silver chain around his neck that held his and Manny's dog tags. The V that dipped into his pants looked leaner and more cut than usual and it made her look away as she was beginning to want him. 

He was drying his hair with a towel and it was a cute mess when he stopped, "Listen, I'm going up to Pittsburgh Tattoo if you want to come. I'm itching to get that quote on my stomach." 

Gisella looked up at him for a moment. One thing she had always wanted to do was see Tommy get ink. She had told him that once, that it would be sexy for naughty reasons, seeing him in a little physical pain. He had told her he'd really love it if she got one and she had refused. Gisella had never been a tattoo girl. She loved them on Tommy and they made him into such a bad boy. Of course Tommy Conlon was the real deal, but the tattoos added to the package. He had wanted to get the Gaelic phrase for black sheep on his stomach, across the top. 

"Um, you're doing that today?" she asked. He detected a bit of falter or weakness in her voice. Jackpot. 

"Yeah. Going to be a few hours of them dragging a needle across me. I figured you'd like to see how it's done." 

She looked at the clock. She could put off a few hours while she went up there with him. She looked back at him and nodded. This was going to be fun.


	38. Chapter 38

The next several hours had been Tommy's shirtless body prone on a tattoo parlor chair, while a pretty blonde artist put Caora Dhubh on his upper stomach. The artist, Kara, had mercilessly flirted with Tommy right in front of Gisella. Tommy winked at Gisella at one point, when Kara's back was turned and realized Gisella was a little miffed. Gisella shook her head and her tongue twisted in her cheek. She slid her hand under Tommy's hand, which had been resting right at his navel. When Kara turned around she saw Gisella leaning over Tommy.

"We're almost done, Tommy C," Kara said, smiling with the slightest bit of weakness.

"I hope so," Gisella said, and then looked at Tommy. He saw a little bit of protectiveness rear up out of his girl and he liked it, but knew Kara was no harm. It still amused him. "By the way, Kara," Gisella asked, toying with the button on Tommy's pants, "How soon can I...oh how do I ask this?...jump Tommy's bones...after he gets a tattoo? I mean, do we have to play it safe or can we get down to business hard and sweaty like we almost always do?"

Tommy smirked at Gisella. What he wouldn't give to have this really be true. If he was getting some after leaving there, their little contest could come to an end. 

Kara didn't look at Gisella, "Um, I suppose if you keep the tattoo covered you'll be okay. I'm going to put something over it."

"Sounds good," Gisella said, and then reached over and cleared his bangs off his forehead. He was just staring at her, loving the sudden change in Gisella. He had never seen her get like this and it compromised him trying to keep his cock at bay. He had to focus on something unsexy to avoid looking like an ass in the tattoo chair.

 

On the way home from getting the tattoo, Gisella was quiet at first. Tommy had been smiling a lot, finding the whole situation that went down at the parlor too funny. He had never been tattooed by Kara before and wasn't expecting her to act the way she had. They were five minutes from the apartment when he said to Gisella, "You know, you were the first to technically give up."

Gisella scoffed as she sat in the passenger seat of his car, "Huh!...What do you mean, Tommy?"

"Back there. In front of Kara. Your idea for later. I just wanted to let you know I am totally up for your suggestion," he continued smugly.

"I was just trying to tell her to step off. She needed to quit flirting with you. That's all." 

"Naw, baby girl...you brought it up. I mean, we can test the theory...does fucking mess up a tattoo or not?" and then he started laughing. Gisella truly wasn't experienced with tattoos. He imagined she thought the ink would bleed if he wasn't careful. One had to be a little careful but not where they couldn't have sex.

"Tommy, if you think I'm banging you as soon as we get back, you're mistaken."

He faced forward, his eyes narrowed but his face full of mirth, "Uh huh...your hand was practically on my jock for that last part in the parlor. It's okay, girl."

"Whatever."

"Whenever," he answered and turned the corner roughly.

***

Tommy was admiring his new ink in the bathroom mirror. He reapplied the soft white gauze that was over it and regarded Gisella as she walked into the bathroom. She was just wearing her bra and panties and Tommy couldn't believe how obvious she was. 

"Did you lose your clothes, Gi?"

"I'm changing into something else."

"Uh huh."

She sat down on the toilet to pee and said, "I can't change my clothes?"

"All's I know is you had somethin' perfectly fine on earlier. Now you're in some mighty sexy panties for no reason...unless..." his brows were raised, his eyes giving her the typical smart ass Tommy Conlon look, "...unless someone is hoping their man would pin them and lay it down."

She finished and said, "You're the one in just your boxers."

She was going to go up to the store and didn't want to wear the same thing earlier. She also admitted to herself that he called her out on the set up. Tommy followed her into the bedroom.

He got on the bed and pulled off his boxers.

"You look beautiful when angry," he grinned at her, his elbows bent, hands behind his head as he laid on his back.

Gisella turned around after getting her jeans out of the drawer. She saw his gorgeous muscular body was now completely naked, his sex still at rest.

"What are you doing Tommy?" she asked, "Are you waiting for something in particular?"

Tommy brought his hands out from behind his head, and laid his bent elbows on the mattress, allowing him to sit up a bit. His abs were crunched and emphasized a very clear eight pack. His chest was carved, biceps thickened and he stared at her. He knew his body drove her insane and he saw her eyes move down to go over his body. He looked at her intensely, loving how the bra she was in was straining under her plump breasts. She had bought the thing with the intention of making her breasts practically pop over the lace. He wanted to bury his head in her cleavage first and then in her mound later.

"I'm just waiting for you to admit defeat. The games you're playing, is all," he answered.

Gisella was about to protest but came over to him, smile slowly crawling across her lips. She looked down at him and said, "I do so love your body, Tommy Conlon," and he smiled up at her.

"Do you maybe want to ride it a little, baby girl?" he said back, happy look on his face. He wasn't about to call her out on the fact that he won as he was just relieved she was finally going to fuck him.

Gisella crawled onto the bed and he relaxed, laying completely down. He lifted up his hands anticipating her climbing onto him, but she hovered, her lips above his. "Thomas Riordan Conlon," she spoke, mouth an inch from his, "How bad do you want it?"

His thick lips opened, "Fuck, girl. Bad enough to throw your back out. You're gonna feel this _everywhere_."

She made a light laugh and kept her eyes on him as she kissed those impossibly thick lips of his. He tasted like chewing gum, fresh and clean. His lips could be overwhelming when he kissed back greedily. She let him overpower her for a moment, the soft envelope covering her own smaller lips. He exhaled as she pulled away and his lips remained slightly parted as he breathed. Those bee-stung eyes with their gray thunder followed her down as she kissed his chest with it's noticeable heat. His chest rose and fell steadily and his hands came up on both sides of her head. "Yeahh...kiss me all over, baby," he breathed. Her tongue licked down the valley between his abdominals, and he tightened to make the definition pop more. She bit at his stomach and could tell his cock was now fully masted. Down she kept going, sweeping over his navel with kisses and down finally to his cock.

He was rolling his hips a bit as she took the girth into her mouth. He had a lot to take in, so she used her hand to make up for what she couldn't swallow. Tommy smelled like the pheromone she loved so much, mixed with very slight musk. She was working him and knew just when he'd be ready to erupt.

"Fuck, girl. You're killing me..." he breathed. His eyes were closed and she knew he'd be close any day now.

"Where did you learn to suck a cock like that, hmmm? God. I can feel the back of..." he was breathing hard and had to concentrate to speak, "...your throat."

She kept working him, feeling him get closer and closer. Tommy was at the precipice of orgasm, his body starting to tighten more and go stiff when Gisella looked up at him, his eyes closed and his lips pursed.

She then got up and said, "Well. I have to go get ready now."

His eyes shot open and his brows furrowed, "WHAT?"

Gisella smiled at him sweetly. He looked confused and yet the anger was just starting to color his face.

She wasn't going to finish him off.

"Get back here! Don't do this to me!"

"Oh, you can finish off yourself. I know you're good at that, Tomcat," she said and took out her jeans. She turned away from him and stepped into the jeans, pulling them up. She made sure he could see the bubble of her ass try and fit into the jeans. She hopped around and turned so he could see her breasts bob up and down, too.

Tommy was unbelievably pissed. His cock was a flag pole and his eyes glared at her. He finally got up, his body formidable as he took hold of his dick and went towards the bathroom. He practically punched the door open, making it fly and then he slammed the thing behind him. He was going to finish off on his own. She heard the toilet lid slam up and his seething angry breathing as he stroked himself out. His stream was so thick that she could hear it hit the water. His fist came to the wall behind the toilet and she heard him breathe to himself, "That bitch."

Gisella gathered her purse and went to leave the apartment. Gisella 1, Tommy. None.


	39. Chapter 39

Gisella finally came back with groceries at 5pm, hours after leaving Tommy to deal with the serious blue balls she gave him. Tommy was sitting on his laptop on the couch, not paying her any mind.

"I got us enough groceries to last a week before I get paid," she said, taking out a bunch of avocados, Tommy's favorite food on the planet. She had chicken breasts, yogurt, oatmeal, broccoli, peppers, egg whites, and some waffles for her. "I got us some blueberries and strawberries, too," she said.

He looked up, "That's nice."

She shook her head, "Tommy, you're still mad about what I did, huh?"

He sighed and scratched his chest through his Steelers shirt, "Babe, just know what goes around comes around."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him, "What? Are you going to do the same to me?"

Tommy's eyes narrowed, "Babe, I could do that. Edge you and deny you orgasm. Get you to the brink of soaking me and pull the plug."

"I could manage, Tommy," she said.

"Okay. Sure. Put you back to the days of when you'd turn to your little vibe and watch me work out, 'Oh Tommy...want a cupcake in exchange for my muffin...hee hee'." 

Gisella was immediately pissed and took the package of Greek yogurt and threw it at him. The thing exploded and got all over his laptop, his chest and hurt like hell, too.

Tommy cursed and got up and came at her, Gisella hurrying around the counter to make it to their bedroom and close the door. Tommy closed in on her and grabbed her around her waist, his breath hot in her ear, "You gonna fuckin' throw shit at me, girl? Huh? Fuckin' hit my chest too. You wanna pay for a re-do of my ink...huh?"

"Fuck you, Tommy."

"Ahhh, 'Fuck you, Tommy'," he growled, his arms tight and unbreakable around her. She kept squirming and tried to kick him.

"Let me go!"

"Get on your fucking back. I'm gonna expand your mind a little."

 

Tommy had held Gisella down and fucked her "six ways from Sunday" as he called it. 

At one point he had her on her stomach, his full body weight pushing down as he fucked her from behind, his hand on her head, "Sorry, babe, if I'm being rough..."

"Fuck you," she gasped.

"Isn't that stating the obvious? I mean, babe, I am fucking you."

"I can't breathe..." she said.

"Oh, my bad," and he roughly whipped her over like she was nothing and had her lay on him. She squealed when he thrust his cock up into her with a pop.

"Ride this shit, girl. Ride me hard or you're going back on your face," he seethed.

He wasn't going to ever truly hurt her and knew she was loving the roughness despite her 'protests'. Gisella was on the verge of sweating, her body showing that slight warm glow. Her mound was red and already experienced an orgasm earlier when he fucked her against the edge of the bed. Tommy stroked her thighs as she rode up and down on him, her ass going up and down and her body backwards and forwards. Her thighs felt strong and had definitely begun to show that he was training her, something they were doing a lot more of at the abandoned mill. 

"Goddamn your body is coming together nicely," he breathed. He was loving what he was seeing. When she was tense everything was almost magnified, brought out, more defined. 

"Ohhh, Tommy..." she cried out and came. She was grinding out the climax and then slowed finally when it left her body.

"Lift up," he ordered her and he saw what he wanted, "Damn you made that slick...shit." He cupped her pussy and she yelped, his fingers playing with her sensitive clit. He slid in two thick fingers. She howled.

"Tommy...your fingers..."

"What's that? You want another one in you? Two isn't enough?"

"No...please..."

She fell onto the mattress and he kept up what he was doing. His body looked massive and he was jacked up and still gloriously erect.

"Fingerbanging Gisella...could be a good name for a movie. Burned out MMA star vs Italian Minx..."

"Tommy..."

"Oh shit..." 

Gisella came all over his fingers and it made him almost lose it. "Holy crap, girl...God, I hope I never lose the image of this."

Gisella was a mess. A day's worth of pent up orgasm flooded out of her. She felt like a dirty whore and she loved it. How Tommy made her feel so dirty and depraved but still loving it blew her away. He was vulgar and yet it was so erotic to her. 

Tommy didn't give her time to think more when he rammed is cock back into her. He rode her without any hold back, his dick battering her and making her walls shatter. After he came inside her he didn't lay back down but he crawled down, sucking her nipples, holding her breasts together. "You have some amazing tits on you, baby girl," he breathed.

Gisella could barely speak and was in ecstasy. His stamina was hardcore and he wasn't tiring. He kissed her stomach, and then made his way down to her sex.

"When's the last time I ate your pussy for you? I mean totally ate you out good?"

Tommy was being so filthy. Gisella couldn't answer. She almost swore it was recent but her mind was going blank.

 

Tommy and Gisella had fucked for two solid hours until she told him she was truly sore. He let off and came on her chest, his eyes rolling back. She felt the warm stream all over her and she writhed in front of him. Tommy was rough, dirty, and crude, but damn it, could he turn her out.


	40. Chapter 40

Tommy was sparring with Jondra the next day and she was asking him questions about what he did the day before. 

"I sent you three texts and you didn't answer," she said, punching his hands, which were in kickboxing mitts. He kept weaving and hopping to the side and she knew she had better kick or hit hard each time he did that. Power and speed is what he'd tell her. Beat the shit out of your opponent, nothing more, nothing less.

"Girl, you know it's my day off from training. I got to you this morning," he said, his face serious and his stance not letting up. He was in training mode and she was too busy chattering. He was crouched slightly, his eyes intense, telling her she needed to focus.

Jondra punched hard and then with a whopping pop roundhouse kicked the mitts. He nodded and said, "There. That's it, keep going. No tiring."

He wanted her to be like him. Quick and ruthless, dispatching the opponent with a swiftness. He wanted her to destroy her opponent, lest they destroy her. As she kept improving she could probably take Mad Dog Grimes and beat his ass through the canvas. He wanted people to question if she was really a man with how deadly she was. He wanted controversy about her and for people who fear her when she entered the ring. Would they get to see her annihilate someone? That's what he wanted. 

Jondra was definitely getting there. The bout they were training for was a few weeks away in New York City and he needed to see her win the belt. He took one day off a week for himself, yesterday being it, but still somehow made time for Gisella. He knew Jondra was asking about Gisella when she inquired about the previous day.

"I bet you were having fun with your lady," Jondra said, trying to bait Tommy. She knew he would get ticked when she mentioned Gisella. Tommy was intensely private and Jondra got a kick out of it when his eyes would narrow, his plump lips looking like he had his tongue rolled tight in his cheek, and his chin jutting out a little bit. It was a sure fire sign Tommy was pissed. She laughed when she saw it.

Just then she felt the wind get knocked out of her and she went flying back against the ropes. A few men in the gym went "Whoa!" as they saw her fly back. Jondra's 130 solid pounds then landed forward on the mat, her gloved hands catching her fall. She looked up like a confused child.

"FOCUS," is all Tommy said to her and she nodded. She had deserved it and knew she had gone too far. If she was to amount to anything in MMA she needed to do as Tommy Conlon said, when he said it.

***

Gisella had gotten out of the shower and was admiring her body. She could see the results of working out with Tommy. Her arms had the definition she had always craved. She looked slightly sculpted and did not see any flab. She tried to tense her abdominals but those were nothing much yet. She blamed still liking pasta and knew as an Italian girl that would never go away.

Tommy had fucked her lights out the day before. She had to hand it to herself; to take what he doled out was no small feat. He was a powerful man who had an edge to him that was no show. This man had been through more hell than anyone she could imagine. And she brainstormed sometimes wondering if she knew anyone who had suffered as much. Abusive dad, separation from Brendan, the move to Tacoma, his mom dying, the Marines, losing Manny, deserting his troops, going undetected through enemy lines to land in a Mexican prison. It was so unbelievable and yet she slept next to it every night. Tommy was strong on the outside, wounded on the inside, but stronger day by day mentally.

She wanted this man to be her husband, if he would only get the nerve to ask her. It was a subject she did not want to broach just yet.

Gisella had a few friends who were beginning to get married. Girls who had known their husbands a shorter time than Gisella had known Tommy. The issue still remained that Tommy had a brick wall up. He could lay with her, make love to her, stare into her eyes and listen to her talk, but he still withheld. One time he told her it was because nothing about his past was worth mentioning. She pressed on trying to get into the innermost chamber of his heart and he had grown moody. "I need time," is all he would say and get up, removing himself from her temporarily. Each time they would make headway it would be followed by stepping back a few paces. It was frustrating and Gisella wondered if she would ever truly know this man's heart.

She walked into the bedroom to get the panties and bra she had laid out when Tommy came through the front door. She looked over smiling but he resembled a storm cloud. Jondra must have pissed him off again.

"Hey, babe," Gisella said and his eyes cut over to her for a second. He went to the fridge and got some ice water out. She went to putting her ensemble on and a long sweatshirt that hung down her shoulder. She walked into the living room and then to the kitchen. He drank his water and looked at her. She could tell he was contemplating having sex with her or continuing on his merry way. She came to the fridge and took out some tea.

"Sorry, baby girl. I'm in a bad mood."

"Oh, I can tell. Going to give you space," she said, feeling proud of herself. She was not going to press him.

She could tell Tommy was watching her make her way to the couch.

She grabbed a book she had been half-assed reading for months now and turned to a measly page 63.

Tommy made his way around the couch and sat down beside her. His cell phone vibrated and he made that irritated split second suck sound with his tongue and then pulled it out of his pocket. Gisella tried to not invade his privacy but stole a glance.

JONDRA: Srry bossman

Tommy stared up and ahead and put his cell back into his pocket without answering his trainee.

"Yoo got anything planned today with friends," he asked Gisella as he went for the TV remote.

"Um, no. Why?" she asked him.

"Cuz I am stayin' in. Don't want you to be bored or somethin'. I am just tired of everyone."

Gisella furrowed her brow for a moment and Tommy said, "I'm not tired of you, if that's what you're thinkin'. It just other people. Their shit."

"Everything okay at the gym?" she asked, seeing the rare occasion where she could follow up on something Tommy halfway volunteered.

"Jondra irritating me with her lack of focus, seeing Grimes' face...period, seeing gym rats train improperly. Just shit."

Gisella turned, putting her book down and kissed him on the cheek, "Sorry, Tommy. I will stay here tonight but out of your way."

He turned to her and said, "Can't do that if you're layin' beneath me and I'm inside you, babe."


	41. Chapter 41

Tommy looked at the girl coming undone in his arms.

Where would he find another sweet, understanding, caring, loving, and sexy woman like Gisella. He had put a ring on hold at a jewelers but was afraid to make that final move. He wanted desperately to make her his but he always had something shake him to the core - the desire to flee and go be alone again. He had been alone since his mom died when he was a teenager. Manny had been a best friend and respite. Gisella had been the only girl to come along thereafter and make him feel like the hole in his heart was closing up. Deep down he loved her and was inspired to be a better man by her. He just had to get rid of the demon inside him. An exorcism of sorts was needed but he didn't know how. Would it be to say "fuck all" to the world and just do it? Would he need to visit that shrink at the VA? Or would it be to go on some kind of vision quest and let himself go entirely, to come back to her healed and completely ready to propose to her?

It was crazy that he was thinking such heavy thoughts as he felt her sex throb on his member. His name was being screamed and he was thinking about trying to not wimp out with this woman, relationship-wise.

"God, Tommehhh..." she breathed, her arms pulling her body back up, going around his muscular traps and neck.

"That feel good, baby girl?"

"God yes. I came so hard."

"Yeah? You tellin' me I made you cum so hard, huh?"

"Yes, Tommy."

"You wanna do that some more before I go off?"

Gisella bit her lip and resumed undulating on him. Her nipples had barely eased their hardness and he could tell she was about to orgasm again.

"Oh my God, Tommy...it's..."

"Shhh...just fuck me..."

Gisella arched back and fell onto the bed, Tommy still in her, her writhing body making him break.

"SHIT." he said as he started cumming with her. The vision of Gisella letting go always pulled him along. She always looked like a pornstar when she had an orgasm, and it wasn't fake. She was very corporal and into everything she did with wild abandon. Tommy couldn't take it any longer. This was it and fuck his fear of making it official.

"Fucking marry me, babe. Do it," he said to her.

Gisella didn't hear him or maybe she didn't know what to say. Tommy was scared for a moment.

"Huh? Did you hear me, babe?"

Gisella's orgasm was dying down and so were her hips, which stilled.

"What, Tommy?"

He leaned down and his cock withdrew from her.

He breathed down at her, his generous chest heaving, a bead of sweat falling off his nose. "I asked you to marry me, Gisella. To be my wife."


End file.
